My Life For Yours
by Eli
Summary: AU challenge taken. Ian wields the witchblade. Sara loving protector. Name change: Meredith Irons
1. A World Upside Down

Title: My Life For Yours  
  
Author: The Lyrical Eli  
  
Summery: AU story to the summery of Jessi. Ian wields the witchblade. Sara is his protector. Irons a woman.  
  
Feed Back: Of course. My muses favor me when they read them. Jessi created me a new one.  
  
To Jessi: Thanks for a challenge. Another reason to wake up tomorrow. I hope this story is to your standards. I will not fail you.  
  
Disclaimer: I'm just starting high school for pity sakes. Sue me and the judge will laugh.  
  
  
  
-November 11, 2000-  
  
Destiny changes you. No one chooses to save the earth; it's a task forcibly given to them. As it was given to him. Ian Christian Nottingham. It was his fate that caused him to lose so much. His mother and father killed by thieves who happened to mistake wheather or not the house was empty. His best friend Mario, a known drug dealer and pimp, killed by a gang leader for knowing too much. If fate had not chosen him, these things would have never happened. The sad thing? I thank whatever god there is for choosing him. He can be my savior. Yeah, I love him. We have never talked, never seen each other, never met. But I don't need any of those things. He is perfect. Everything I ever wanted in a if-Batman-was-a-cop form. Destiny is cruel and beautiful. I would never know him if fate didn't disfavor him so. I benefit from his pain. Fate is so odd. It's what brings him and his partner here today. Waiting. So I sit and wait with them. Time. It has begun.  
  
Ian ran after the criminal. The chase thrilled him. Revenge thrilled him. He knew one of these bastards had killed Mario. Maybe more than one of them. They all must be punished. All guilty by association.  
  
"Run. run, run, cowards! Is that all you can do?" He called to the men he pursued. He wanted them to shoot at him. He wanted an excuse to empty his gun of bullets into their thick skulls where brains should be. Turning the corner, he ran right into the King Arthur and the holy grail exihibit. He checked around him. Lost them. He continued on and for some strange reason found himself infront of one of the displays. A sword. Silver and beautiful, with a red crystal in the middle of the handle. He completely forgot his search and stared at it. It seemed to stare back.  
  
"Magnificent, isn't it?" How she wished to add "As you are."  
  
Ian looked up at a gothic fantasies dream woman. Green eyes like emeralds caught his hazel ones. Her gaze caught him like a victim of Dracula. He could have stared at those eyes all day, and would of, hadn't she suddenly put her head down. As if she had just sinned. He felt a need to see her eyes again. He reached over to her and lifted her head back up. He felt her shiver from the brief contact. Her face was stoic, but her eyes held a million emotions all at once.  
  
Sara now understood what heaven was like. He touched her. Brief, but he will never comprehend what it did to her. Sara had learned from childhood to be strong, a knight of sorts. Amazon like, never to give unto men. But he, with one motion, erased all her training. She could spend eternity staring back at him. But fate will not have it. He had been right. They were cowards, they aimed at his turned back.  
  
Ian saw the direction in her eyes move. He knew they were behind him. He turned and faced them in time to dodge. Their bullets flew pass him. Into the display case. His gun was shot from his hand. He grabbed arounf him for something to shield himself with. He grabbed the first thing of metal he could find. The bullets came flying at him. He put up his what was hopefully a shiled up to block off the shots. He heard the bullets deflect and go right back against those who had fired. The shooting stopped. They were dead. Ian looked at what he held in his hand. The sword. He remembered the girl and turned his head around. Gone. He looked back at his hand. The sword was no longer a sword, but a bracelet. A thin line with a design of a sword across the front.  
  
"Yo Nottingham, you all right?" He heard his partner behind him.  
  
"Yeah, Woo. I'm fine."  
  
"But these sad bastards aren't. What the hell happened?"  
  
"I'm not sure myself."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I feel like I zoned out."  
  
"You sure you okay, Ian? No hits to the head?"  
  
"Danielle, if it was a concusion, there would be blood on me, not around me."  
  
"Here, let the others handle this. I think you went into shock or something. I'm taking you to get it checked out."  
  
"Not needed."  
  
"Yes needed. Do it, or I will blast Britney Speares in the office."  
  
"Fine. How does Lee put up with you?"  
  
"By doing exactly as I say. Now march to the nurse's office."  
  
"Yes, mother."  
  
-Across town-  
  
"Sara, has he found it?"  
  
"Yes, mistress."  
  
"Excellent. Tell me, is he all I hoped?"  
  
"Yes, mistress. Strong, smart, independent."  
  
"Strong and smart intrest me, but independence does not. He will be harder to control. Continue your watch over the wielder."  
  
"Yes, mistress."  
  
"And Sara?"  
  
"Yes, mistress?"  
  
"He is mine. Don't let any other ideas enter your mind. Are we clear?"  
  
"Yes, mistress."  
  
-At the office-  
  
"Where are you dragging me now? I already went to the damn doctors!"  
  
"Ahhhh. Did the man in white scare you with a shot?"  
  
"No. Just want to know where we're going."  
  
"Forensics. There's a clue to who these guys worked for."  
  
"You know it was Gallo. Why bother?"  
  
"To make sure." They entered the forensics lab.  
  
"Bout time you got here."  
  
"Chill, Gabriel. I've already been yelled at by Danielle. Push me and you'll find yourself at the other side of an autopsy."  
  
"See, Ian. It's things like that that keep you single."  
  
"You should be talking. Now, what you got?"  
  
"Agenda on one of the men. Gallo has a date at the theatre with a drug dealer."  
  
"Finally. Right place at the right time. We'll nail the bastard's murdering ass tomorrow."  
  
"Time to inform Siri."  
  
"Wish we didn't. Wonder how he bribed Dante into quiting."  
  
"Ian, I know you hate him, but it's called retirement."  
  
"Still say it's a comspiracy."  
  
"Stop watching X-Files!"  
  
"But Scully is so hot."  
  
"Ian's right on that one, Danielle." Ian and Gabriel both sent approving nods at each other. Danielle shook her head.  
  
"Men."  
  
"We are men..."  
  
"Men in tights." Ian and Gabriel cracked up at their own lame joke.  
  
"What am I going to do with you two?"  
  
"You could get us all coffee."  
  
"Pretty please with sugar on top?"  
  
"Lazy bastards. You see?! This is why I don't set you two up on dates with my friends."  
  
"Danielle, you've set us up on blind dates before. It isn't that you don't want to. It's that we don't want you to."  
  
"Ian, I swear to god I will kick your white boy ass if you don't shut up right this minute."  
  
"Yes, my not so wise Asian matchmaker."  
  
"Gabriel, don't be surprised if you see Ian again very soon."  
  
"Gotcha. Now, unless you two would care to see this gentleman's guts, leave."  
  
"Let's go."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
-Later-  
  
"Don't you love it how Siri loves to over pronunciate the last part of my name? Not Nottingham, but Notting Ham. I think I truly love the guy."  
  
"Hey, the tribe has spoken and he's your boss. You have to love the man."  
  
"Or at least give the appearence that you do."  
  
"You learn quickly."  
  
"Hey, Danielle. Did you happen to see a woman dressed in black around the scene in the museum?"  
  
"Well, could you be any vaguer?"  
  
"Funny. She was about 5'9" , light brown hair, green eyes."  
  
"Nah, why?"  
  
"I saw her right before the incident happened. She might know what happened."  
  
"No one was around."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yeah. Now, get to the paper work or we'll be here all night!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."  
  
-The Next Day-  
  
Ian and Danielle waited out in their car. Waited for them to make a move.  
  
"I know it's one of those bastards. I'm bringin' them all down."  
  
"Ian, you're not superman. Remember I'm here to help."  
  
"Yes, you're right. Sorry, batgirl."  
  
"So now you think you're batman?"  
  
"Of course. He gets all the women."  
  
"Hilarious, Ian. Look, there's the drop. Let's go."  
  
Ian and Danielle followed the men in silence. Up two flights of stairs and a couple of turns and Gallo is in sight.  
  
How I would love to shoot a bullet straight through a heart. Correction, where a heart is suppose to be. Mario was getting out of it all. He had quit everything and was trying to remake himself. He actually had a future to look forward to. Damn Gallo ruined it. Ruined it all.  
  
"Detectives, why don't you come out and join the game?"  
  
"What? I ruin the special surprise in store for you yet, you mother fucking bitch?!"  
  
"Detective Nottingham, it's always a nice surprise to see you again."  
  
"And it was a nice surprise you left on the corner of Elm and 5th."  
  
"Just trying to catch your attention, detective. I crave it so. You are a very attractive man."  
  
"Just how attractive will you be after I lock your cheap, whorish ass up?"  
  
"Is that a threat? I don't think you're being very polite. Boys?" All guns were out.  
  
"What to do? What to do?" Danielle and Ian were vastly out numbered.  
  
Where the hell is back up? Should've been here by now.  
  
"Well, lucky for you, I find you too cute to kill. But your friend, sadly, is another story." And with that, someone from behind fired a shot at Danielle. He saw her fall to the ground.  
  
Bitch! She will not kill anyone else.  
  
Ian transformed the bracelet he wore back into a sword and savagely attacked all he could. He deflected all bullets and sliced through one man after another.  
  
What he could not see was the others coming from behind. Sara could. She dislodged herself from her station and joined the battle. She pulled out her sword and made an end to the cowards who would shoot a man from behind.  
  
Another seven men later, and Gallo was left to herself. She aimed her gun and shot for all she was worth, but Ian was to quick for her. Her gun ran out of ammo. He pointed the sword at her throat. "Beg."  
  
"Please. I'll give you anything, just name it. Money, drugs, the works. Just name your price."  
  
"I want..." Gallo's smirked returned to her face. Corrupt cop. Wrong! "Your blood." And with that said, he thrusted the blade in to her. He withdrew, and it returned to a bracelet.  
  
He turned to Danielle and knelt by her body.  
  
"Danielle, you with me? Danielle!?"  
  
"She is gone. I'm sorry for your lost, for all of them." The woman in black had returned.  
  
"No!"  
  
"You will soon see her."  
  
"Heaven can wait."  
  
"That's not what I meant."  
  
"What did you mean then?"  
  
"Alot, nothing. My mistress bid me to give this to you." She handed him a paper with a single address on it. "She wishes to explain it all herself."  
  
"Explain what?"  
  
"The witchblade."  
  
"The what?"  
  
"The thing that has drawn you in. Drawn us all in. I send my sympathies to the family. Visit us only when you are through mourning." Within a blink of an eye, she was gone.  
  
Back up showed up then.  
  
"Nottingham, what the hell happened?"  
  
"Woo's been killed."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Danielle is dead."  
  
"What do you want us to do?"  
  
"Your fucking job." Ian flew pass them and left. He walked back out to the car and drove off. Sara watched from the top of the building. Tears streamed down her face.  
  
The pain kills not only you, beloved. But both of us. If any gods can hear me, please end his suffering, our suffering. With a such a destiny to deal with, no more death. Don't let him be blinded by my mistress. Witchblade be with him.  
  
Eli: Okay. How did I do? Is it worthy to be here? Nurish my new muse. 


	2. A Bit of Backround

Eli: This story is bundles of fun for everyone. I'm creating chaos with the characters and spent most of last night dreaming up a story line. Thanks for encouraging words on this helpless teen.  
  
  
  
Gone. Like all of them. My fault? The others were. I'm the one that left the lock to our house unlocked the day the thieves came. I was suppose to be meeting Mario that night, but instead went home and canceled. Now Danielle. What the hell did she do? She caught bad guys, joked with me and Gabe, and had a family. Lee is beside himself, holding on tightly to Jordan. I just wish this whole thing was just a nightmare. I rather be afraid to sleep at night then to live this out.  
  
The snow filled cemetary was filled with mourners. It broke Ian's heart to watch any of it. Especially to see little Jordan put a rose on his mother's grave. Lee wouldn't let go of Jordan for less than a second. Afraid to lose him as well as his wife. It had finally ended.  
  
-That night-  
  
Life is not fun when you have nightmares as your living one.  
  
He could see blood, chaos, battles, death. Marching on through towns that had been burned to the ground. The smell of burnt flesh was powerfull. Then they came across a chile in the streets. She spoke a different tongue and was frightened to death. She was bady burnt. The man infront of him shook his head at the child and thrusted a blade through her. No!  
  
Ian sat up in bed. His breathes had increased greatly from the vision. "What the hell brought that on?"  
  
He felt a burning sensation on his wrist, as if it were answering his question. He stared at the bracelet for a long time. He had been sure he had placed it on the nightstand before going to sleep.  
  
"It grows more attached to you." Ian looked up. It was the woman in black again.  
  
"How the hell did you get in here?"  
  
"Entrance is of no importance. I am sorry to inform you that my mistress can not wait for your mourining to be over. She wished to meet with you at eleven tomorrow."  
  
"Who is your mistress?"  
  
"Irons. Meredith Irons."  
  
"Irons?! Ain't she that rich chick that owns Vorslagh industries?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why does she want to meet with me?"  
  
"For the same reason you see visions of lives not yours."  
  
"Can't you give me a straight answer?"  
  
"I'm not here to give answers, just the location of where you can find them."  
  
"Will you be there?"  
  
"Most likely. Why?"  
  
"Well, then I have reason to go." The woman put her eyes to the ground again.  
  
"You will not be there to converse with me. I bid you good-night." And she was gone.  
  
Ian settled back into bed. "Alright, you damn thing, I have to meet a billionaire tomorrow, so let me have some shut eye." He placed teh bracelet back onto his nightstand and tehn went back to sleep.  
  
-The next morning-  
  
She was the one to approach him when he entered the mansion.  
  
"So we meet again."  
  
"My mistress will be recieving you in the library. Follow me please." She led him through the house and stopped infront of a large set of doors. She was about to open the door for him, when Ian grabbed for the handle himself. Their hands briefly touched. She looked up at him.  
  
"Not all that glitters is gold." She let him open the door and walked in. Irons looked from her desk and smiled. "Ahhhh. There you are." She raised up to except Ian. Sara simply stood by the door watching. Merdith turned to Sara.  
  
"Close the doors."  
  
"Yes, mistress." She did as she was told. Ian noticed the way the woman acted like a slave. she didn't make eye contact and simply stood in the corner.  
  
"So, Irons, why did you send your little messenger girl to get me?"  
  
"She is more than that. Trained all her life to protect me. She is the perfect warrior. My lyrical amazon, I like to say."  
  
"Does your amazon have a name?"  
  
"Yes, but it is of no matter." Ian deffinitely didn't like the way Irons regarded her. "Sorry if she annoyed you. I've come to believe she is a bit taken by you. " She turned to her servant. "Are you not?" She didn't answer, but lowered her head further.  
  
"So, back to my question, why am I here?"  
  
"To discuss teh item around your wrist."  
  
"This thing?"  
  
"Yes, do you know what it is?"  
  
"No."  
  
"It is called the witchblade. It holds extraordinary powers and has been handed down a noble line of men for centuries."  
  
"Like who?"  
  
"King Arthur, for one. Except instead of witchblade, they gave it what they thought was a more masculine name, Excaliber."  
  
"Excaliber? As in the mythical sword that helped him win over entire armies Excaliber?"  
  
"Yes. Correct. You are the wielder for this generation." Meredith started to walk towards him. "I can help you. I know all it's secrets. I would share them with you, if you'd only let me." She reached out to touch his face, but he moved wawy from her.  
  
If this mean bitch thinks I'm letting her touch me after she was so cruel to her servant there, she has another thing coming.  
  
"Ms. Irons, aren't you a little old for me?"  
  
"Do I appear so?"  
  
"No, but then again, a little plastic surgery and I can't tell the difference."  
  
"You wound me, detective."  
  
Good you ancient, black hearted tyrant.  
  
"I can see you are in no mood to speak with me. I'll see you later." She returned to her desk. "Show him the way out."  
  
"Yes, mistress." Sara began to lead Ian back out of the mansion.  
  
"So, does the lyrical amazon have a name?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"Why do you want to know?"  
  
"Well, it appears that I will have buisness with your mistress in the future. I would like to know what to call you."  
  
"My name is Sara. Sara Pezzini."  
  
"Well then Sara. May I ask you something?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Are you taken by me?"  
  
"Perhaps. Good-bye detective." She left him at the front door. He watched her go.  
  
"Weird. Beautiful, but weird."  
  
Eli: Even as a woman, Irons is evil. Do I done good? 


	3. Valley Girls, Lesbians, and Abuse

Eli: Hi all! I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one disturbed about the last witchblade episode. I've been thinkin of writing yet another fanfic that would have to do with that Sara clone (Sirius or Aras. Pagan? Did anyone catch the name that Ian called her?) I hate her, but it would be intresting. Also, holding no hate, but why does Yancy get to kiss all the dudes on the show except Will Yun Lee? And I'm expecting that any day now. Can't she just stick with Eric and make us jump up and down with joy? *sigh* I won't be working on Tale for a while because I can't seem to put what I want to happen into words yet. Thanks for the reviews. Enjoy the chapter.  
  
  
  
"Nottingham, this is your new partner, Kelly Hart. She just transfered from L.A. Show her the ropes."  
  
"It's, like, really nice to meet you."  
  
Oh good God. Here's the proof Siri hates me! He's put me with what appears to be a teenaged, valley girl barbie doll. Someone shoot me now!  
  
"Nice to meet you, too."  
  
"So, Nottingham, what's, like, your first name?"  
  
"Ian."  
  
If she says like one more time, I am going to shoot her!  
  
"Well, Ian, you're kinda like, cute."  
  
Forget the gun. I'm gonna slice her up with the witchblade. Wait, calm down.  
  
"Uh, thanks, I think."  
  
"Ahhhhhh. You're a shy one. That's, like, so adorable."  
  
Must.......Not......Kill.......Rookie......  
  
"So, Ian, want to go out sometime?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Beacuse......"  
  
Shit! Excuse, need excuse. Is that Sara? Please be Sara. It is! Thank you God!  
  
"Because my girlfriend over there wouldn't like it. Excuse me for a moment." He rushed away from her as fast as he could, short of running.  
  
"My mistress...." She stopped when Ian put his arm around her and started to push her forward.  
  
"Just act with me, Sara. Must get out." Sara nodded, put a smile on her face, and leaned into him.  
  
He's touching me. I don't care if it's just an act. No, I can't do this. It's forbidden. But this feels.......right.  
  
Ian kept on walking till they were outside and away from the prying eyes. Though it wasn't needed, he kept his arm around Sara.  
  
"So, what does your mistress want this time?"  
  
"She wishes for you to join her for dinner tonight."  
  
"What for?"  
  
"She has information for you."  
  
"About the witchblade?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Will you be there?"  
  
"Why does it matter?"  
  
"If you're there, I'll go." Sara pulled herself out from under his arm. She put her head down and refused to look at him.  
  
"Ten o'clock. The mansion. Please be there." And, as usual, she was gone. Ian made his way back through the building, ignoring all the "Nottingham's got a girlfriend." Ian passed them all up and went straight to forensics.  
  
"Hey Gabe."  
  
"Hi Ian, what was up with the gothic chick?"  
  
"You saw that?"  
  
"I doubt there's anyone who didn't. Is she your girl or what?"  
  
"Or what. I needed an excuse to get away from my new partner."  
  
"Ahhhh. Now I understand."  
  
"Met her?"  
  
"Yeah. We're, like, totally best friends."  
  
"Hit on you, too?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm sorry, buddy. So, you here to hide from her?"  
  
"No, that's for if she finds out I'm single. I'm here about this thing." He passed the witchblade to Gabriel.  
  
"Whoa, this is nice. Where did you get this?"  
  
"I'm not entirely sure. I know that you have knowledge on old things, so what is it?"  
  
"Well, I can't answer that."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Cause I don't know."  
  
"Some help you are."  
  
"Well, what do I look like? A collector of useless ancient information?"  
  
"Well, do you know someone who does?"  
  
"Uh, yeah. Remember my last girlfriend, Vicky?"  
  
"Isn't she the one who dumped you because she turned out to be a lesbian?"  
  
"You just had to remind me of that, didn't you?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Well, anyway, she happens to collect ancient info. She even has this buisness, Talismaniac, that sells this kind of stuff. You should pay her a visit. Here." He dug in his pocket and pulled out a card. "Here's the address."  
  
"All right, thanks." Ian took the card and the witchblade. He turned to leave.  
  
"Wait, Ian!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"So that chick isn't your girlfriend?"  
  
"No."  
  
"So, unless you're intrested in her, could you set us up?" Ian gave him a sly smile.  
  
"Sorry, Gabriel."  
  
"It's all good. Hope you get her."  
  
"Yeah." Suddenly, Kelly stuck her head in.  
  
"Oh, there you are. I, like, need your help in the office."  
  
"All right. See ya, Gabe."  
  
"Bye." Gabriel winked at him. "Have fun."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
-The mansion-  
  
"Sara, what were you doing earler today?"  
  
"I was watching the wielder, mistress."  
  
"Was that all?"  
  
"Yes, mistress." Meredith went over to her and slapped her across the face.  
  
"Lying, disobedient girl. I saw you with him, together like you are a couple. What have I told you? He is mine! You are not to have such contact with him again. Understand?"  
  
"Yes, mother."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Mistress."  
  
"Yeah, that's right. You lost the right to call me mother a long time ago, Sara."  
  
"It will not happen again, mistress."  
  
"It had better not."  
  
-Talismaniac-  
  
"Hello. Buying or selling?"  
  
"Hi. Niether. I need some information."  
  
"On what?"  
  
"This." He held his arm up.  
  
"Come inside." She opened the door and let him in.  
  
"I'm Vicky Po."  
  
"Ian Nottingham, N.Y.P.D. homicide."  
  
"And wielder of the witchblade."  
  
"So you know what this is?"  
  
"Yeah, except last I saw it, it was a sword they were guessing was Excaliber."  
  
"Then how is it a bracelet?"  
  
"They say it can change it's shape depending on the wielder."  
  
"So who else has had this thing?"  
  
"Well, no one is totally sure, but the list would include King Arthur, Ares: god of war, David Bronte....."  
  
"David Bronte?"  
  
"Yeah, the secret agent that cracked the Nazi code. Allowing us to win the war."  
  
"Whoa. Very cool, very scary."  
  
"Yeah. How did you get hold of it?"  
  
"Accident."  
  
"Ah. Well, you might want to watch your back."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"That thing on your wrist makes you an evil magnet. It's like how vampires flock to Buffy."  
  
"How do you know these thing?"  
  
"It's my job to know about things of power."  
  
"Ahhh. I would love to continue, but I have a date to keep."  
  
"The witchblade should be your first priority."  
  
"That's why I'm keeping this date. Can I talk to you later?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. One thing, how did you find me?"  
  
"Uh, Gabriel."  
  
"Oh. If you see him, tell him to get his ass down here and pick up his junk."  
  
"I'll tell him. Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
-The mansion-  
  
Sara was again the one to meet him in the front. "This way." she refused to look at him. Ian got annoyed. He moved in front of her and wouldn't let her continue on.  
  
"Please move aside."  
  
"Look at me, Sara." She shook her head. "Please?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I want to look into your eyes. They're beautiful, you know." He lifted her head up with his hand. She held his gaze for a second, then looked back down.  
  
"Why do you do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Not look me in the eye."  
  
"I am not worthy of such a thing."  
  
"What are you talking about? Is that what Irons has taught you?"  
  
"Yes. It is the way."  
  
"No, it's not. What can she do to you if you look at me?"  
  
"Things." He tried to lift her head back up, but she moved away from him.  
  
"She is waiting." She pushed pass him and continued on.  
  
"All right." He followed her and didn't talk to her again.  
  
What is wrong with her? She seems almost frightened of contact. What the hell has Irons done to her? Abuse? Why doesn't she escape?  
  
Sara led him into a huge dinning room. Meredith was sitting at the head of the table.  
  
"Detective, glad you have decided to join me for dinner." She turned to Sara.  
  
"Close the doors as you leave."  
  
"Yes, mistress."  
  
"Why can't she stay, Meredith?" Sara didn't stop what she was doing and left before Irons could answer.  
  
"She is but a servant."  
  
"Oh, not worthy to dine at the table with the master?"  
  
"Exactly. Nice to see you can see her from my point of view."  
  
"Not really. She is human, not your slave."  
  
"You've taken an unrequired concern for her."  
  
"Well, seeing how you treat her, someone has to."  
  
"She can fend for herself, I assure you. She can also beat you in battle, if she put her mind to it. Why don't you sit down and join me?"  
  
"No, I'm not hungry. Just tell me what you were going to and I'll be on my way."  
  
"The witchblade is a great weapon that can be used to slay whole armies, but with it comes great danger. It has always abandoned it's wielders in their darkest hour. It left King Arthur when he fought his son, Mordrid. That is but one example."  
  
"How was it created?"  
  
"No one is sure."  
  
"Why was I chosen?"  
  
"You are of the blood line."  
  
"What?"  
  
"There has been a blood line of wielders since it has been created."  
  
"Who was the last wielder?"  
  
"Well, the last true wielder was David Bronte."  
  
"What do you mean true wielder?"  
  
"Anyone can assume the mantle, but they would be pretenders. The witchblade is not kind to pretenders. I speak from experience."  
  
"You've wielded this thing?"  
  
"Yes, but for a moment. It did not except me, for I am a woman. But it left me with this." She held up her hand to show a scar that looked like two circles interlocked in the middle.  
  
"Who was the last person to wear this thing?"  
  
"A man named Jake McCartney."  
  
"He was a pretender?"  
  
"Yes. It torments him. It hates him, but he loves it."  
  
"Am I a pretender?"  
  
"We are yet to find out. I have nothing further to tell you. You may leave, detective."  
  
"See ya." Ian quickly made his way out of the room. Sara was outside waiting for him.  
  
"Why do you let her treat you like that?"  
  
"It is the way."  
  
"Why do you keep saying that?"  
  
"You wanted the answer."  
  
"You're just as good as she is. In my opinion, better. What does she have on you?"  
  
"Life." They had reached the front door. "Ian, I heard your whole conversation with her."  
  
"Good."  
  
"I thank you for your concern, but don't say things like that to her. It will only make things worst."  
  
"What does she do to you?"  
  
"Discipline."  
  
"What kind of discipline?" She hung her head lower. He forced her head up and looked carefully at her. He saw a bruise in the corner of her face. When she realized he had seen it, she pulled away from him and put her head down.  
  
"Is that what she considers discipline?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She saw what happened at the precinct."  
  
"Nothing happened."  
  
"Not to your eyes."  
  
"She got mad because you helped me escape my valley girl partner?"  
  
"If that was the reason for the acting, them yes."  
  
"Why did she get mad at that?"  
  
"Disobedience."  
  
"What did you do wrong?" She didn't answer. She wasn't going to.  
  
"If she hurts you again, I'm bringing her in."  
  
"You don't need to protect me. I can protect myself."  
  
"And the bruise on your face proves it."  
  
"Please don't. Just....Leave. Please. If you don't want me to get hurt, leave."  
  
"Fine. But I will bring her in if I have to. Good bye, Sara."  
  
"Bye." He left.  
  
  
  
Eli: So, whatcha think? To go on, to not go on? 


	4. Symbolism of Song

Eli: Hi. Must write while still can. High school registration day *Add violent scream here* I decided against the Sara double thing. Thanks for the reviews. And rouguegal, sorry you had no computer during your vacation, glad you're back. Jessi, you sound surprised at my choice of a pretender. (I thought everyone knew I didn't like Jake, thus I bend over backwards to keep him out of my fics. Though I have a story line in my head involving him. So many storylines, too little time.) Still writers block on Tale. Enjoy the chap!  
  
  
  
"Nottingham, Hart, this is your new case. A kid was found this morning in an abandoned building. Name: Matt Songer, age: 13. Disappeared from home last Tuesday. No suspects. Need ya to check out the crime scene."  
  
-Later-  
  
"Whoa."  
  
"Read my mind, Gabe."  
  
"This is, like, so gross. I think I'm gonna throw up." Kelly covered her mouth and rushed off. Ian and Gabriel snickered as she ran. Then they returned to the body.  
  
"So what the hell happened to this guy?"  
  
"Killer sliced him open from his adam's apple to his navel. Pulled open the skin and removed various organs. We found two of them in the corner, but we're still searching for the kid's lungs."  
  
"Reasons?"  
  
"Sacrifice."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sacrifice. Notice the candles, inncense, and cult symbol drawn in blood in the backround." Ian turned and wondered how he overlooked it. It was a drawing of a sword within a circle of designs.  
  
"Doesn't point to sacrfice. Could just be mimicking things in a horror flick."  
  
"Nah, the way this was all done shows the person has deffinitely done some research."  
  
"Purpose of sacrifice?"  
  
"What else? Tribute."  
  
"You can't give me info on a bracelet, but can inform me of ritual sacrifices?"  
  
"Vicky is a very intresting person."  
  
"Oh, thanks for giving me her address. She knew about the bracelet."  
  
"What did she say?"  
  
"She asked me to tell you to get your ass over there and pick up your junk."  
  
"Great. I'll probably get there and she'll be making out with her girlfriend. Just what I need after a day of autopsy."  
  
"Could be worst."  
  
"How?"  
  
"You could have Kelly as a partner."  
  
"Shhhh. Don't jinx it, Ian."  
  
"Hey, I shouldn't have to hear you complain when I have to deal with Cher from Clueless day in and day out."  
  
"At least she likes you."  
  
"That's the problem."  
  
"Why? Is your mystery gothic chick getting jealous?"  
  
"I wish."  
  
"Not doing well?"  
  
"She's....Where do I begin?"  
  
"Later over lunch. We need to finish this up."  
  
"Yeah. I'll go find the rookie and make sure she didn't break a nail."  
  
-Lunch-  
  
"So, explain the situation."  
  
"What do you want to know?"  
  
"Well, does your gothic friend have a name?"  
  
"Sara Pezzini."  
  
"And what is the problem?"  
  
"Mentally/Physically abused servant. She won't even look me in the eye because she believes she's not worthy."  
  
"She thinks YOU are too good for HER?"  
  
"Shut up! It's not funny. She's so shut off from the rest of the world. She wears at least four layers of clothing."  
  
"Does she need to wear all those layers?"  
  
"No, she's fine as hell. Her eyes are like emeralds, dude. I could just stare at them for hours."  
  
"Well, someone's got it bad."  
  
"Yeah, tell me something I don't know."  
  
"Does she like you?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Her boss said she has a crush on me, but she hasn't done anything to back it up."  
  
"Nothing?"  
  
"Zip."  
  
"Have you told her you like her?"  
  
"I've done everything except flat out saying it, which I plan to do next time I see her."  
  
"Well, I hope you're prepared, cause she's heading toward us right now." Ian turned around and Sara was standing right behind him.  
  
"Hi Sara."  
  
"Hello, Ian."  
  
I hope she didn't hear any of that. Might get mad about talking about her.  
  
"My mistress wishes for you to join her again for dinner." Ian groaned.  
  
I do not want to deal with her again. If Sara was joining us, yes. Alone with the evil one herself, no.  
  
"Tell her not tonight."  
  
"I will deliever the message. Good day." She turned to leave, when Gabriel called out to her.  
  
"Sara, why don't you have lunch with us?"  
  
"I am sorry, Mr. Bowman, but I can not."  
  
"How do you know my name?"  
  
"How did you learn mine?"  
  
"Ian said it."  
  
"Same. I have to go."  
  
"Wait, Ian has something to tell you." Ian hit Gabriel from under the table. Gabriel gave Ian a Get-on-with-it type of look.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's nothing, Sara. I'll see you." She nodded and left. Ian punched Gabriel on the shoulder.  
  
"What'd do that for?"  
  
"You said you were going to tell her."  
  
"I wasn't ready!"  
  
"Wimp!"  
  
"Like you could do any better."  
  
"Is that a challenge?"  
  
"Yeah. If I'm such a wimp, then prove your bravery. I'll point out a girl, and you go up, tell her she's cute, and ask her out."  
  
"You're on. Point."  
  
Let's see. The blonde in the corner? Nah, too easy. Waitress? No. Whose coming in? Winner!  
  
"Her." He nodded to the woman who entered. Gabriel's jaw dropped.  
  
"That's a nun!"  
  
"So? I never said she had to say yes, so just ask her."  
  
"You are beyond wicked! I'm gonna get sent to hell for this!"  
  
"Go on."  
  
Ian watched as Gabriel went up to the nun and gave her a huge fake smile. He laughed as she slapped him across the face and then rushed out. Gabriel glared at Ian.  
  
"Hey! At least my manhood is still intact."  
  
"Yeah, but still. You got shot down."  
  
"It was a nun. That doesn't count as a shot down!"  
  
"Yes, it does!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Ian's cell phone went off.  
  
"Nottingham."  
  
"Ian, they like, found where the symbol thingy came from. It came from a band called Le Fay. We're, like, suppose to check it out tonight."  
  
"All right. Any thing else?"  
  
"Uh, do you, like, think I'm cute?"  
  
"You don't want to know my answer, Kelly. See ya ." Ian hung up.  
  
"What did she ask you?"  
  
"If I thought she was cute."  
  
"Cute, yes. Any signs of intelligence, no."  
  
"You think she's cute?"  
  
"Yeah, don't you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh, that's right, I'm sorry. Your type is strange, sheltered stalkers."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Or did you prefer abused, gothic worshipers?"  
  
"I know you're not thinking of Sara."  
  
"Who else would I be teasing you about?"  
  
"She's neither a strange stalker or a gothic worshiper. And you shouldn't be teasing her about being abused."  
  
"Ian, I was joking!"  
  
"You wouldn't be if you knew what she goes through."  
  
"Sorry. Damn, you do have it bad for her."  
  
"And you had it bad for a lesbian."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"No Sara jokes, no Vicky jokes."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
-Night-  
  
"So, who are we, like here to investigate?"  
  
"The band members." Le Fay was currently playing at the time. Ian and Kelly took seats at a table and watched the preformance.  
  
  
  
~It's taken too long to get it right.  
  
Could it be so wrong.  
  
To maybe find someone.  
  
A miracle.  
  
Is there a trace  
  
inside her face  
  
of a lonely miracle?  
  
And so you wait  
  
And lie awake  
  
For a lonely miracle.~  
  
Sara watched from the corner. Her eyes didn't leave Ian. She wondered what he was going to tell her. She knew the two had been talking about her before she came over to them, but had not over heard any of it. It wasn't in her to envade his privacy.  
  
He was probably just gonna tell me to back off, anyway. I shouldn't expect him to actually like me.  
  
Sara closed her eyes and listened to the last part of the song.  
  
Nice. Almost familliar. I understand it.  
  
Ian got up when the band finished and announced that they were going to take a break. He approached the lead singer as Kelly went straight for the drummer.  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I'm Detective Nottingham, N.Y.P.D homicide. I need to ask you some questions."  
  
"Oh. I'm Dominique Boucher, stage name Morgan. How can I help you?"  
  
"A 13 year old boy, Matt Songer, was found dead this morning. Your symbol was painted in blood at the crime scene. Where were you last night?"  
  
"I was here the whole night. We stayed after the place closed down to practice. We didn't finish till about nine this morning."  
  
"Were all of the members of the band here?"  
  
"All five. The owner was here, too. He can back us up." The man Kelly was interviewing came up behind Dominique and put his arms around her waist.  
  
"No offense, but your friend there is a pushy gal."  
  
"None taken, I understand."  
  
"This is my Irish boyfriend and drummer for the band, John Connor, stage name Conchabar. John, this is Detective Nottingham."  
  
"So, you think we're the killers of that kid? Sad story. I heard it was some type of sacrifice."  
  
"We have not yet found the motive. Where did you find that symbol?"  
  
"Our manager suggested it. The sword is my sign and the circle is John's."  
  
"Is your manager here?"  
  
"Nah, but I have his card on me. You want it?"  
  
"Yes, if you don't mind." She passed him the card.  
  
"So, Detective, how did you like our music?"  
  
"I liked it. You guys are great. The song reminded me of someone."  
  
"Might we ask who?"  
  
"A friend."  
  
"That song was about a woman in the shadows from the perspective of a suitor. If you connected this song with her, then she isn't just a friend to you."  
  
"She's a woman who I keep running into, but can not catch."  
  
"She sounds intresting. Could you get her over here so we could meet her?"  
  
"I have no clue how to get her anywhere, but I wouldn't be surprised if she was here."  
  
"Then perhaps we can help you draw her out of the shadows. We have a preformance to finish. Take care, Detective."  
  
"You too. Thanks for your time." Dominique and John returned on stage. The other members of the band joined them and looked relieved to be away from Kelly. Kelly went over to Ian.  
  
"They all had excuses. Total bummer. Are we, like, done? I want to go home."  
  
"We're done. Go, I'm gonna stay for the performance."  
  
"All right. But I can't believe you can stand this music. Please! Give me N*sync any time. See ya." Kelly left. Ian went to the back of the club and leaned against the wall, near the corner. The band began to play.  
  
~ Broadway's dark tonight;  
  
A little bit weaker than it use to be.  
  
Broadway's dark tonight  
  
See the young man sitting in the  
  
old man's bar, waiting for his turn to die.~  
  
Ian turned his head to the corner, which happened to be pitch black. "Sara?"  
  
How does he know I'm here?  
  
"Sara, I know you're there. I want to talk to you." Sara stepped out of the corner and stood before him. She kept her head down.  
  
"What do you wish to converse about?"  
  
~ The cowboy kills the rock star  
  
and Friday nights gone too far.  
  
The dim light hides the years  
  
on all the faded girls.~  
  
"You." Sara put her head down lower and seemed to be waiting for him to yell at her.  
  
~ Forgotten but not gone  
  
Your drinkin off your mind.  
  
You talk about the world like  
  
it's someplace that should've been.~  
  
"Will you please look at me?" She very slowly raised her head.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"What have I done?"  
  
"Nothing. I just wanted to know if you'd like to dance with me."  
  
"What?"  
  
He can't be serious. But he is! Moth..Mistress wouldn't approve.  
  
~ You see, you'd love to run home  
  
but you know you ain't got one.  
  
Cause you're living in a world  
  
that your best forgotten  
  
round here.~  
  
"I'm sorry. I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I...don't know how."  
  
"You don't know how to dance?"  
  
"My mistress disapproves of me doing such things."  
  
"I'm sorry, Sara, but screw your mistress. I'm gonna teach you how to dance. If she bugs you about it, she can deal with me. All right?"  
  
"All right."  
  
~Broadway's dark tonight;  
  
A little bit weaker than it use to be.  
  
Broadway's dark tonight;  
  
See the young man sitting  
  
in the old man's bar.  
  
Waiting for his turn to die.~  
  
"Well, first you need to shed some of your layers."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It'll be easier if you lose the jacket and the sweater." He began to remove her jacket for her. Sara backed away from him.  
  
"Sara, I'm not going to hurt you."  
  
This is forbidden  
  
  
  
~You choke down all your anger.  
  
Forget your only son.  
  
You put down a statue when  
  
your brick wall heart gets undone.  
  
Your anger don't impress me  
  
the world slapped in your face.  
  
It always rains like hell  
  
on the loser's day of grace~  
  
"Sara." Sara took off her jacket and sweater, but kept her gloves on. Ian placed her jacket and sweater on a table.  
  
~You see you'd love to run home  
  
but you know you ain't got one.  
  
Cause your living in a world  
  
that your best forgotten.  
  
When you're thinking of a joke  
  
and nobody's gonna listen.  
  
To the one small point,  
  
another been missing round here.  
  
Round here.~  
  
Ian pointed out to her a couple of other people dancing. She nodded. Ian put his arms around her waist. She was hesitant, but eventually put her gloved arms around his neck. They started to sway to the music.  
  
~Broadway's dark tonight;  
  
A little bit weaker than it use to be.  
  
Broadway's dark tonight.  
  
See the young man sitting  
  
in the old man's bar  
  
Waiting for his turn to die.~  
  
Sara wanted to stop when the band did. She tried to pull away from him, but he kept an iron grip on her waist.  
  
This isn't right. I'm not suppose to do this.  
  
Why doesn't she trust me?  
  
Dominique spotted Ian and his girl of the shadows. She whispered something to the rest of the members of Le Fay, and then went right into their next song.  
  
~Meet me in outer space.  
  
We could spend our night  
  
Watch the earth come up.  
  
I've grown tired of that place.  
  
Won't you come with me.  
  
We could start, uh huh.~  
  
They originally had been inches apart, but Ian pulled her into him. Sara closed her eyes.  
  
This must be a dream, or at least the thing a dream is made of. But what if she finds out? She'll...I'll worry about it later. Right now, I want to take in as much of this reverie as I can.  
  
~How do you do it?  
  
Make me feel like I do?  
  
How do you do it?  
  
It's better than I ever knew.  
  
Ohhhhhhhh.  
  
Meet me in outer space.  
  
I will hold you close  
  
if you're afraid of heights.  
  
I need you to see this place.  
  
It might be the only way  
  
that I can show you how  
  
it feels to be inside.~  
  
He carefully studied every inch of her face. He wanted to remember everything.  
  
What is it about her that makes me feel like this. It's not just her eyes, but everything.  
  
~How do you do it?  
  
Make me feel like I do?  
  
How do you do it?  
  
It's better than I ever knew.  
  
Ohhhhhhhh.  
  
How do you do it?  
  
Make me feel like I do?~  
  
"You're beautiful, Sara." Sara seemed to wake up and tried to back away from him. Ian grabbed her wrists. She shook her head.  
  
"Sara, what's wrong?"  
  
"Don't lie to me like that. You don't understand how it feels."  
  
"I'm not lying. Why would you think I'm lying?"  
  
"I'm not. If you knew, then you wouldn't say such things."  
  
"I'll say what I want, and I swear I'm not lying."  
  
I know how she probably got the idea. Damn Irons. Manipulative as hell if she could convince someone like Sara that she isn't beautiful. If she could only realize.......  
  
"You don't know........"  
  
"I don't care. I can prove I'm not lying if you want."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Like this." Ian pulled her to him and kissed her. He released her wrists and put his hands on her back. Sara felt herself instinctively put her hands on his neck.  
  
~How do you do it?  
  
Make me feel like I do?  
  
How do you do it?  
  
It's better than I ever knew.  
  
Ohhhhhhhh.  
  
How do you do it?  
  
Make me feel like I do?  
  
How do you do it?  
  
Make me feel like I do?  
  
Yeah.~  
  
As soon as the song ended, Sara realized what they were doing. She forced herself to push him back. To escape.  
  
They stared at each other for a long time. Sara wan't looking down, for once. Her eyes were holding an assortment of fear, confusion, and love. Finally, she shut her eyes and turned her back to him.  
  
"Sara, wait a second."  
  
But she was gone.  
  
Eli: Sorry the chap was so long. How do I keep the characters straight? I read the previous chapters before starting a new one. Songs were stolen. Miracle by Vertical Horizon. Broadway by The Goo Goo Dolls (only part of the song and the lyrics aren't all correct, so don't bother correcting me. Not my fault I don't have the lyrics on hand.) And Steller by Incubus. How was the chap? I'm getting paranoid that it's too long to anyone's liking. Help me out here? 


	5. Dreaming of You

Eli: Hi all. Guess what I'm doing! Taping a witchblade marathon! I never knew I remembered so many of Ian's lines. Surprise surpsise. Here's a new chap!  
  
-The next day-  
  
"Ian? Ian?! Wake up, dude!"  
  
"Sorry, Gabe. What were you saying?"  
  
"This is the body of the second victim of our sacrifice killer. Christina Raphael, age thirteen. This one was burned alive. Blood markings found in the backround. Did you talk to the band?"  
  
"Yeah, they all cleared out. But possibly might have a suspect."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The manager. He came up with the band's symbol."  
  
"Ah. So, band any good?"  
  
"Yeah. Really good."  
  
"Did something happen last night?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You're acting strange."  
  
"Sara."  
  
"What? Shot down?"  
  
"No. Dance, kiss, and she ran off."  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"Yeah. It's like.....I don't know what it's like."  
  
"Well, she isn't exactly normal. You're trying to court a freak."  
  
"Court? What the hell? We're in the 2000's, Gabe."  
  
"So? The world's genius was in the past."  
  
"Yeah." Ian's cell went off.  
  
"Nottingham."  
  
"Detective, would you mind stopping by my office? I have more information for you."  
  
"What? You can say it on the phone."  
  
"But I prefer to speak to you in person. Be there." Irons hung up.  
  
"Bitch."  
  
"Who was that?"  
  
"Pure hate wrapped up in one human being."  
  
"I don't want to know."  
  
"Better off. I have to go."  
  
"Right. See ya."  
  
-Later-  
  
"Detective."  
  
"Irons."  
  
"Have any dreams lately?"  
  
"Don't we all?"  
  
"But few have dreams such as yours. The violence, blood rush, hate. I know you see such things. Of lives you don't reconize as your own. That's what the witchblade is showing you. Your history, that is, if you are the true wielder."  
  
"You love blathering on."  
  
"I don't blather, I create."  
  
"How do you know what I dream?"  
  
"I dream it too. I understand, Ian. Trust me. Please."  
  
"I I trust you as much as I would trust Charles Manson."  
  
"He has dreams, too."  
  
"Exactly. So if you're through......"  
  
"Yes, you may leave, but remember: I am always around."  
  
"Yeah, I'll keep it in mind." Ian left her office and headed towards the elevator. He felt someone watching him. He stopped and closed his eyes for a second.  
  
"Sara?" He opened his eyes and Sara was in front of him.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How long have you been trailing me?"  
  
"Which lifetime?"  
  
"This."  
  
"As long as your protection is needed, as always."  
  
"I understand that, Sara." He moved closer to her.  
  
"Did you happen to hear my chat with your boss?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"There was one part she forgot to mention." Ian reached out and hooked his hand on the back of her neck. He bent down to whisper in her ear.  
  
"Violence, blood rush, hate. And love. I see you. With me. Us. Always. Never betraying. True."  
  
"I know."  
  
"I thought you would. Have any dreams lately, Sara?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Are they like mine? Do you see us fighting, kissing, sleeping together?"  
  
"Perhaps. Let go of me, Ian. Please."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because you said you would protect me. Doing this, in her presense, will not help me."  
  
"Damn her."  
  
"The witchblade also shows you visions. Future's yet to happen. Do you often find yourself knowing what comes out of people's mouths?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I believe you are a true wielder, but only time can tell. Control it, Ian. Or else it controls you." Sara pushed him off and walked the other direction. Ian sighed and continued on.  
  
I see the dreams of us, too. I am always with you. I would like to be with you now. But you only feel for me because of the witchblade. I don't love you for the witchblade, but for you. I wish I could tell you. Let you hold me. Let us be together. But you deserve something better. I could never please you. Just don't be taken in by her. Mistress. See beyond her, and I will be content.  
  
-Later-  
  
"Hello. I'm Detective Nottingham for, N.Y.P.D homicide."  
  
"Am I under arrest?"  
  
"No, I simply have some questions for you."  
  
"Oh. My name is Carter Lupo."  
  
"You manager for a band named Le Fay?"  
  
"Yes. My best clients ever."  
  
"They said you were the one who came up with the bands symbol."  
  
"Yeah, it's a mix of Domomique's and John's symbols."  
  
"Do you realized that two teens have been murdered and that this same symbol has been found in the backround?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Where were you yesterday around midnight?"  
  
"Asleep in my own bed."  
  
"Anyone there to prove that?"  
  
"Girlfriend will speak up for me."  
  
"All right."  
  
"This is probably some kid trying to throw the blame toward us."  
  
"Can you think of anyone who would frame you or the band?"  
  
"I don't know, other bands?"  
  
"If you can think of anyone, please contact me."  
  
"I will."  
  
-Later-  
  
Ian placed the flowers on Danielle's grave.  
  
"Hey. One month. One long month. More like a nightmare. This shouldn't have happened to you. None of this should have happened. Jordan misses you. Alot. He wanted to come here with me today. Lee doesn't come out here, I know. Hurts too much." Ian turned his back to the grave.  
  
"God. This is hard. Too hard. I would give anything, everything, just to have you back."  
  
"Then cough up your whole life, Ian Nottingham." He spun around.  
  
"Danielle?"  
  
"Yeah." He reached out to touch her, but his hand went right through her.  
  
"Well, sorta."  
  
"Are you a......"  
  
"Ghost? Hard to believe, huh?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"The witchblade."  
  
"It let's me see you?"  
  
"Yeah. I never knew people could have this type of power, but you do."  
  
"Well, there's at least one perk."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Miss you, partner."  
  
"Miss you too. I miss all this."  
  
"Have you checked out the rookie."  
  
"Yes, I was so much better than she was."  
  
"You were, weren't you. And you never had a crush on me." Ian shuddered.  
  
"I've also seen your new crush."  
  
"And?"  
  
"In the immortal words of Joey from Friends: I think you love her."  
  
"Like, yes. Love, I'm not sure yet."  
  
"Ian and Sara, sitting in a tree. K-i-s-s-i-n-g."  
  
"Hilarious, Danielle."  
  
"Like you're really annoyed."  
  
"Well, I missed your teasing."  
  
"And I miss coffee. If you ever want a good reason not to kill yourself, there it is. No coffee."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind."  
  
"I saw you slice and dice Gallo."  
  
"Yeah. There's one thing in my life I do not regret doing, and that was killing Gallo."  
  
"You need to be more responsible. You must not be corrupted by hate."  
  
"I killed her because it was right. She deserved to be dead."  
  
"And who are you to play God, Ian? Who gave you the right to decide who dies and who doesn't die."  
  
"I don't have that choice, it just happens. If I did, I would be able to hug you right now."  
  
"Every man has what it takes to kill. It's the decision to not kill that makes us human. Just don't be so hasty to put a bullet into someone's head."  
  
"All right. Danielle?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What am I doing wrong?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"With Sara. Have you been watching?"  
  
"Yeah. You're doing fine."  
  
"Then why does she hate me?"  
  
"She doesn't hate you. All this is new to her."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Do you really think she's ever dated someone before?"  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Take it slow amd you're fine." Danielle vanished.  
  
"Take care, Danielle."  
  
-That night-  
  
A girl confronting Carter Lupo. Red hood. Switchblade. Something about ending her friend's life. Dangerously close to sliting his throat. Laughing. Two people coming from behind. Hitting her. Hard. Carrying her off. Alter. Tied up. Cutting her wrist. Letting it drain into a cup. Painting the symbol. Grabbing her by the hair. Lifting the sword. Slice. Sacrfice. Death.  
  
Ian woke up. His breath was fast and heavy. "What the hell?"  
  
He looked up and saw Sara at his window. He got up, opened the window, and leaned out.  
  
"Sara."  
  
"Visions. What did you see?"  
  
"A girl, sacrifice, death. Is it real?"  
  
"It could be."  
  
"I could still save her?"  
  
"If you act now. 845 Clara St. Go."  
  
"Come with me. I've seen you fight. Help me."  
  
"I can't. You don't need my help. You are strong enough to conquer demons. But I will watch. If you want that girl alive, you better go, now!" Sara left.  
  
Five minutes later, Ian was gone too.  
  
Eli: Batman to the rescue. (lol) Is this good? 


	6. War and Sacrifice

Eli: Hi. I have Thanatopsis on tape! That is my fav. Episode! I'm content, so I'll write a chapter. Sorry to all Wiccans, Cults, or who ever else reads this and is insulted by my sacrifice scene. Yes, it is the stereotype kind of sacrifice. Otherwise, enjoy.  
  
-Lupo-  
  
Lupo placed the girl on the alter. He tied her wrists together and anointed her forehead. She was still knocked out. The others had started chanting, summoning. He smiled down to them from the alter.  
  
"Why do we do this?"  
  
"Tribute!"  
  
"To whom?"  
  
"The war god!"  
  
"By what name do we know him?"  
  
"Ares!"  
  
"On with your prayers. The god will come." Lupo turned back to the unconscious girl. He took out a dagger from his robe and made a slit in her arm from her wrist to the middle of her forearm. He caught her blood in a goblet, and then used it to write the god's sign on the wall in back of them. He turned back to the followers.  
  
"It is time!" Cheers burst forth. Lupo lifted the girl half up and put the dagger to her throat.  
  
"Ares, god of war! We invoke thee. Come forth to us with your awesome power. We give unto you this sacrifice, a girl in the likeness of your most hated sister, Athena. Her blood shall free you of all bonds. Come forth!" Lupo prepared to slit her throat.  
  
What the hell? I need to get the kid out of here. They want a war god, they got a war god.  
  
Ian cam forth from the shadows and walked toward Lupo. He transformed the witchblade into a sword for all to see. The followers began to bow and cry pleads to him. He continued to walk toward Lupo.  
  
"Release her, Lupo. I have come. Release the girl." Lupo cried out.  
  
"Idiots! This is not our god! He's a fake!"  
  
"You are a liar, Lupo! Not worthy of what you do! All of you leave us! Now!" They didn't dare refuse him. The whole lot of them scattered out. Lupo was enraged. He let go of the girl and jumped down from the alter. He pulled out a sword from his back and attacked.  
  
Head shot, block, thrust, block, step back, head shot again, block.  
  
Lupo was an expert with his current weapon. Ian tried to bring out his gun during their battle, but Lupo knocked it out from his hands. They battled on, witchblade versus the sword. Lupo began to get the upper hand. He was forcing Ian to back into the wall.  
  
Ian felt himself against the wall. Lupo lunged the sword into what would have been Ian's stomach, had he not moved in time. He got his sword stuck in the wall. Ian used the opportunity to put the witchblade through Lupo's chest. He moved out, and his body fell to the ground. Ian put away the gauntlet and backed away. He stared at the body.  
  
Suddenly, Lupo sprang back to life for one last attack. Ian had no time to bring forth the blade. Right before he hit him, a bullet flew by Ian and hit Lupo right between the eyes. He fell back down to the floor. Ian turned around. The girl was standing five feet away from him. Wrists still tied and bleeding, she held Ian's gun.  
  
"Bastard." Her eyes started to close and she fainted. Ian sprang and caught her before she hit the ground.  
  
-Later-  
  
The police were on their way. Ian had bandaged the girl's wrist. She began to wake up.  
  
"Hey, you alright?"  
  
"I've been better." She tried to get up, but fell back down.  
  
"Don't! You lost a lot of blood. Just chill." She ignored him and got up.  
  
"I can't. I have to get out of here. Where did the bastards throw my stuff?" She slowly began to make her way back to the alter. She picked up a bag that was thrown to the side.  
  
"You should get checked out by a doctor."  
  
"Later! I just shot a guy, I have to leave!" She made her way to the door. She collapsed again and fell to her knees. She ignored Ian's attempts to help her up. She got up on her own accord. She was in a very vulnerable situation.  
  
I can't let her go out like this! She'll get jumped, mugged, raped, and god knows what else!  
  
"Here. At least let me give you a ride." She stared at him for a minute. She was judging him. At last, she nodded.  
  
"All right."  
  
-In the car-  
  
"Where am I heading?" She remained silent.  
  
"Where do you live?"  
  
"No where."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I live on the streets. Just drop me off close to the hospital."  
  
"Social services?"  
  
"A lot of god damn help they are. Don't even think of taking me there!"  
  
"I'm not just dropping you off on the streets, kid."  
  
"Well, where the hell else am I suppose to go?"  
  
She a difficult one. I'm not taking her to services. I know all too well what they would do to her. I guess I have one option for her.  
  
"If you want, you can crash at my apartment."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I owe you for taking Lupo down. So, what's it gonna be?"  
  
"I just met you. How do I know you're not some child molester?!" Ian took his badge from his pocket and passed it to her.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Trust me?"  
  
"Well, how do you know I won't kill you in your sleep?"  
  
"You wouldn't." Her grey eyes once again studied him. "Alright."  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"Bola. Bola Montoya."  
  
"Ian Nottingham."  
  
Eli: So they beat the bad guy. To be continued.... 


	7. Parabolic, in a sense

Eli: I apologize for my sin against the fans. I wrote the last chapter to "A Tale of Two Hearts." But then I saved it and ate dinner. When I went to go back on, my aunt came home and booted me off before I could upload it! Then my mom picked me up from my grandmothers the same night! Ahhhhhhh! So, I'm stuck here with my parents, while my story is saved in Alameda. So, no one is seeing that chapter till Sunday! Sorry guys. Shame on me. Well, here's the new chap. Isn't Bola charming? And before you ask, Sara is in this! Enjoy!  
  
-The next morning-  
  
Ian woke up promptly to the sound of his alarm clock. He was still sore from his fight with Lupo. He got up and went into the living room. He was surprised to find it empty. Bola had spent the night there, but was now no where in sight. Her bag was gone.  
  
She left, and without telling me. I hope to god she finds a place to stay. I know she can probably handle things fine by herself, the shooting of Lupo being proof, but she's still just a kid.  
  
Ian sighed and went back to his room. He got dressed, grabbed some coffee, and went to work.  
  
-Later-  
  
Ian knocked on the door to Talismaniac. A blond answered the door. She spoke in some weird accent.  
  
"Uh, is Vicky here?"  
  
"Yes, wait one moment. VICKY! Some guy is here for you!"  
  
"You don't have to screech, Deltiana!"  
  
"Sorry, baby." Deltiana left them. Ian stared at her.  
  
"Your girlfriend?"  
  
"Yeah. Cute, ain't she?"  
  
"She's alright."  
  
"And a whole lot better than Gabe! So, what do you want?"  
  
"I want more information on this thing."  
  
"Alright, come in." He followed her into her apartment. Vicky sat down at a computer chair.  
  
"What do you want to know?"  
  
"Where did this thing come from?"  
  
"No one's sure. It was suppose to be made at the beggining of the world. It was made to fight the evil of the world. To balance good and evil. It has been passed down through generations."  
  
"All men, right?"  
  
"Yeah, it has an extreme dislike for women."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe it's sexist. My guess? Probably because naturally men are stronger than women. Well, at least back then. Now days, women kick just as much ass. Another thing, wielders are suppose to gain great amounts of power and gain alot of supernatural stregnth."  
  
"Supernatural strength?"  
  
"Wielders have the ability to talk to the dead, read minds, clarivoyance, and have a spidey sense when it comes to getting attacked." Ian nodded. "So, any strange things been happening?"  
  
"Well, I'm being haunted by my dead ex-partner, I prevented a death, and am being constantly bugged by Meredith Irons."  
  
"Meredith Irons?"  
  
"Yeah, bitch who thinks I'll trust her just cause she has money. I'd like to slice and dice her up."  
  
"Wouldn't most of the world?"  
  
"Yeah. So, anything else?"  
  
"Yeah, you're suppose to go through some kind of test to see if you're a true wielder. If you don't pass, you either go insane or die."  
  
"Great."  
  
"Anything else?"  
  
"Yeah, could you do a search on a girl? Name's Bola Montoya. See if she has any backround, could ya?"  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
"Well, I'll see ya later."  
  
"See ya."  
  
-That night-  
  
Ian entered his apartment and knew something was off. The light was on in the living room. He pulled out his gun and went to see who it was.  
  
Bola was sitting on the couch reading a book. She turned around and ignored the fact he was aiming a gun at her. "Hello." Ian dropped his weapon and stared at her.  
  
"Hi. Why are you here?"  
  
"You said I could crash here. Why are you so surprised?"  
  
"You left this morning without saying anything."  
  
"Yes, I did. You were asleep, so I left a note on your dresser." Ian immediately headed for his room and found a note on his dresser.  
  
Ian,  
  
Went to school. Be back later.  
  
Bola  
  
Bola continued to read her book "You know, you would have seen it if you cleaned up. I don't know how you live like this." Ian went back to the living room.  
  
"This coming from someone who lives on the street?"  
  
"You know what's really sad? I may live on the street, but I'm cleaner than you are." That's when Ian took a good look around his apartment.  
  
"Did you clean?"  
  
"Yes. I couldn't stand the mess. I left your room alone, though."  
  
"Thanks. Did you really go to school?"  
  
"Yeah. Why you so surprised?"  
  
"You are willingly going to school."  
  
"So? You think I want to be on the streets forever? Besides, what the hell else am I suppose to do?"  
  
"Sorry. Why did you leave so early?"  
  
"I had to walk. Took an hour to get there."  
  
"That far? Tomorrow, I'll drive you."  
  
"Thanks." Ian then perceeded into the kitchen and looked in the fridge.  
  
"Did you go shopping for groceries, too?"  
  
"No. That includes money I don't have. Why?"  
  
"I don't remember getting some of this stuff. Oh well."  
  
Things like that have been happening lately. Not that I mind, but it's weird.  
  
"Bola, how did you get in here? The door was locked."  
  
"One of your friends was here. I knocked on the door and they answered it for me."  
  
"My friend?"  
  
"Yeah, the one that wears all black. She said her name was...started with a S."  
  
"Sara?"  
  
"Yeah!" Bola noticed Ian had an amused smile on his face. "Is she your girlfriend?"  
  
"No, why?" She slightly giggled. "No reason."  
  
"Did you eat?"  
  
"Nah."  
  
"Take out?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
-Later-  
  
"Bola?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Tell me about yourself."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Curiosity."  
  
"Killed the cat."  
  
"Funny. I'm serious."  
  
"Alright. My full name is Bola Isabel Montoya. I'm fifteen. I've been on honor roll since sixth grade. I've never smoked, done drugs, or prostitution. I scare the hell out of my history teacher because I know more than she does. That's about it."  
  
"What about your parents?"  
  
"My dad was a drug addict. He overdosed when I was a baby. My mom rasied me till she died of AIDS when I was seven. My older sister, Teresa, tried to raise me, but since she was only sixteen, I was taken away. They put me in a foster home."  
  
"Then what happened?"  
  
"I ran away when I was thirteen."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I just did." Bola was starting to get irritated.  
  
"No specific reason?"  
  
"No. Off it, will ya?" He backed down.  
  
"Alright."  
  
"Thanks. So, what about you?"  
  
"It's boring."  
  
"Go right on ahead."  
  
"I'm not saying my full name cause my middle name is a contradiction. I'm thirty-six. No siblings. I take kickboxing. When I was in school, I scared the hell out of my english teacher because I wrote a story that hinted I wanted to kill him. He was an idiot. When I was sixteen, theives broke into my house and killed both of my parents."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"I could say the same for you. Why did you run away?"  
  
"No reason. I just did." She wasn't telling him. He nodded.  
  
"I'm going to sleep. Night."  
  
"Good-night."  
  
-2:00 A.M.-  
  
Ian woke up to hear someone struggling. He grabbed his automatic and went into the living room. Bola was asleep, but was in the middle of a nightmare. She was kicking her legs and shaking her head. Ian shook her awake.  
  
"Bola! Bola! Wake up!" She jolted awake. Her breathing was rapid. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah. I'll be fine."  
  
"You sure? You were putting up one hell of a fight. What did you see?"  
  
"Just a nightmare. Don't worry. I'm going back to sleep now."  
  
"All right."  
  
-The next day-  
  
Ian was trying to explain to Kelly why she can't download Clueless on the computer, when his cell went off.  
  
"Hello. Am I speaking to Ian Nottingham?"  
  
"Yeah, what do you want?"  
  
"I'm Ms. Whales. This is concerning Bola Montoya."  
  
"What?"  
  
"She said we should call you on the matter. Is she correct?"  
  
"Yeah. Uh, what happened?"  
  
"Bola got into a fight in school today and is being suspended. We need you to come and pick her up."  
  
"All right. I'll be right over." He hung up.  
  
"Like, who was that? Where are you going?"  
  
"I have to pick up someone. I'll be back in an hour. Kelly?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Don't try to download movies on the computer, again. It won't work."  
  
"Okay." She whined. Then she winked at him and smiled. "Be back soon." He stopped himself from killing her and left.  
  
Why can't a power be getting rid of stupid valley girls that have crushes on you?  
  
-The high school-  
  
Ian entered the office. The principal was there to greet him.  
  
"Hello, Mr.Nottingham. This way." She pointed to her office. Bola was slumped in a chair. He took the seat next to her.  
  
"So, what happened here?"  
  
"Bola got into a fight with another student during passing period. The boy, Matthew Evers, now has a broken arm, three cracked ribs, and damage to his, shall we say, private area."  
  
Ian turned and stared at Bola. She shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Bola, may I ask why you kicked the kid's ass?"  
  
"He pulled a butterfly knife out on me and I didn't really feel like getting gutted."  
  
"Okay, you're suspending her for what reason again?"  
  
"Assualt on another student."  
  
"Assualt? Self deffense more like it."  
  
"Yet, the boy was the one who suffered injuries."  
  
"So?! He shouldn't have pulled the knife out on her."  
  
"Mr.Nottingham, she injured the boy more than was necessary. I understand that it started as self deffense, but she took it to another level. For this, we're suspending her for three days."  
  
"And what is he getting?"  
  
"Permanent suspention, time in juvenille hall when he has recovered."  
  
"Alright. Come on, Bola."  
  
"Wait! Bola, stand outside. I would like a private talk with Mr.Nottingham."  
  
"Yes, Ms. Whales." Bola got up and left.  
  
"Mr. Nottingham, is it true Bola is living with you?"  
  
"For the time being, yes."  
  
"What is your relationship with her?Are you family?"  
  
"No."  
  
"This might turn to be a problem."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"The school system would look down on your status. You do realize you are in a very questionable situation."  
  
"Well, I'm not her boyfriend, if that is what you are implying." He mentally shuddered at what they must be thinking. "She helped me, so I'm repaying her by giving her a place to stay. We haven't had any problems thus far."  
  
"Be it so, but you are not her legal guardian."  
  
"Well, would you prefer her on the streets?"  
  
"Of course not. Just be aware that you might run into certain difficulties, and you being male. It doesn't seem appropriate for a girl of fifteen to be living with an unrelated man."  
  
"I don't see a problem with this. I'm a cop, for christ's sake. What the hell would I do to her?"  
  
"Is there at least a woman around? Bola is bound to go through things you won't comprehend. I would feel better if I knew she had some female influence."  
  
"Uh, yeah. Sara. There's Sara."  
  
"Sara? Is she your girlfriend?"  
  
"No, she's a friend. She's always at my apartment. Bola will have a female to talk to."  
  
"Could you please tell Sara that she should talk to Bola about her agression?"  
  
"Alright. Can I go?"  
  
"Yes. Good day, Mr.Nottingham."  
  
"You too." Ian shut the door behind him. Bola was leaning against the wall.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
"Yeah." On their way out, they ran into one of her teachers.  
  
"Bola, I heard you got suspended."  
  
"Yeah, I beat Evers down for pulling a butterfly out on me."  
  
"And their suspending you?"  
  
"Don't it suck?"  
  
"Yeah. Here." Ther lady handed her a piece of paper. "That's your homework. I know you're not suppose to have a chance to re-do the work, but you've earned it."  
  
"Thanks, Mrs.Cate. See ya Friday."  
  
"I'll look forward to seeing you in class again." She left. Ian and Bola continued out to the car.  
  
"Who was that?"  
  
"Geometry teacher. I went from a D to an A in a month."  
  
"You have earned it." They got in the car.  
  
"So, why did he pull a switchblade out on you?"  
  
"I convinced my friend to dump him. He was beating her."  
  
"Are you injured at all?"  
  
"Nah, idiot didn't get close."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Are you mad at me?"  
  
"No, you were justified. I'd kick his ass, too. Just don't do it again."  
  
"Alright."  
  
-That night-  
  
Ian woke up again to the sounds of struggling. He went to the living room to see Bola having another nightmare. He tried to wake her up, but she kicked at him. He finally got her to wake up. She was pale, shuttering, and breathing uneasily.  
  
"Bola, what are you seeing?"  
  
"Nothing. I'm fine."  
  
"No, you're not. Tell me what you're seeing!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You wouldn't understand."  
  
"Try me." she shook her head.  
  
"Trust me, you wouldn't understand."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because you wouldn't!" She moved away from him and sat at the end of the couch. Ian went back into his room.  
  
What the hell is going on? Why wouldn't I understand? That lady was right, this is getting difficult. What else did she say. Female influence? Sara. God, she better be out there.  
  
Ian opened the window to his bedroom. "Sara?" She stepped forth out of the shadows.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Come in here." She looked at him questionably. "Please?" She nodded and entered.  
  
"You know about Bola, right?"  
  
"She is currently living with you."  
  
"She won't tell me what is going on because she says I won't understand. I don't know why."  
  
"You can use the witchblade to read her thoughts."  
  
"I can't. She would think I was invading her privacy. Could you talk to her?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Could you talk to her? I think she would tell you."  
  
"If you want me to, then I shall."  
  
"Thank you." Ian led Sara to the other room. Bola was still curled up on the couch. Sara sat down next to her. "Bola?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What is the matter?"  
  
"You wouldn't understand."  
  
"You don't know that. Can you at least tell me what it's about?" Bola glanced in Ian's direction and he took the hint to go into his room and to shut the door.  
  
"My foster parents."  
  
"Did they hurt you, Bola?" She slowly nodded her head. Sara stood up and removed her coat. She then perceeded to remove two sweatshirts and three shirts till all she had on was a simple tank top.  
  
"Bola, look at me." Bola looked up. Her eyes grew wide as she looked at Sara. She had scars all over her arms, shoulders, and back. Sara sat back down next to her.  
  
"Do you still think I wouldn't understand?"  
  
"No."  
  
"So, little one, what happened?"  
  
-Half hour later-  
  
Ian didn't come out till there was silence. He opened his door to find Sara gently moving Bola off of her. She saw him as she got up.  
  
"Is she alright?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What was wrong?"  
  
"She has had a hard time."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"See for yourself. Touch her and concentrate." Ian reached over to her and gently touched her hand. He closed his eyes and he was instantly flooded with visions.  
  
He could see Bola's foster father assualt her in the bathroom. Felt her pain from numerous beatings. The screaming her foster mother always did around her. She could see her being starved because they considered her too fat. Getting slapped for accidently dropping a pencil. Her foster father trying to get in her room at night for his own reasons. He could see them putting a knife to her throat, asking where all the money was.  
  
Ian snapped back to reality. "Oh god." Sara nodded.  
  
"It has not been easy."  
  
"Thank god you stay close to here. I would never had known. Thank you, Sara."  
  
"I am glad to help." Sara was looking down again. She turned her back to him and made her way to where her pile of clothes were. Ian came up behind her and grabbed her shoulders, pressing her into his chest. Sara's breathing instantly became uneasy.  
  
"You should get some sleep, Ian. Long night."  
  
"I have tomorrow off." She could feel him staring at her. He moved his hands down her arms.  
  
"Did Irons do this to you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Mistakes. I've made too many of them."  
  
"Nobody's perfect, Sara. You don't deserve this. Why can't you break away?"  
  
"It is all I know."  
  
"Couldn't you learn to adapt to something else?" He moved his hands on to her waist.  
  
"I can not. I've trained my whole life to do what I do now. Anything else, my mistress would disapprove."  
  
"As I've said before, screw your mistress." He began to kiss her neck. Sara felt his hands begin to slip underneath her tank top. Her eyes closed as his hands touched her stomach.  
  
What is happening? He does these things. I want...I can't! I am forbidden. She'll know. This isn't right. Or is it?  
  
I guess you could say luckily for Sara, Bola began to wake up again. Sara immediately pulled away from Ian. Bola sat up. She looked at Sara.  
  
"I saw it." Sara sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders.  
  
"It's okay, little one. They can't hurt you anymore. They are gone. Forever." Bola nodded and leaned into Sara.  
  
"I can stay with you till you fall asleep, if you like." Bola nodded. Ian watched Bola relax and begin to fall asleep. He sat down on the other side of her. Bola didn't notice, or if she did, didn't mind. Ian stretched his arm out around Bola and Sara.  
  
Sara kept her attention directed at Bola and avoided his eyes. Ian just stared at her. He felt himself getting tired, but he didn't care. Despite his efforts, he fell asleep. Only then did Sara look at him. She put a hand to his face and moved his hair out of the way. Then, she lightly pushed Bola so she was leaning against Ian. She then removed herself out from under Ian's arm. She put all her layers back on. She turned to look at Ian and Bola one last time before exiting back out the window.  
  
-The next morning-  
  
Ian woke up on the couch with Bola against him. He was disappointed to find Sara gone. He decided to let Bola sleep a little bit longer. He got up. He picked up a blanket off the ground and put it on her. Then he went to the phone and dialed.  
  
"Talismaniac. From slime to the sublime."  
  
"Vicky?"  
  
"Ian. Whatcha' want?"  
  
"Did you find that data?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Good. I so owe you. What did you find?"  
  
-The next day-  
  
"Bola, you should get dressed."  
  
"Why? It's not like I'm going anywhere for three days."  
  
"Someone's coming over. Just thought you wouldn't want to be seen in as you are now."  
  
"Hint taken. I'll get ready." An hour later, there was a knock at the door. Ian got it.  
  
"Are you Ian Nottingham?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"The other room."  
  
"Can I...Can I see her."  
  
"Of course. That was the reason I called you." The two then entered the living room. Bola got up to recieve the guest and was utterly shocked.  
  
"Teresa?" The woman nodded as tears spilled down her face. "Oh my god!"  
  
Teresa laughed. "Aren't you going to give me a hug?" Bola needed no more said. Ian watched with a smile on his face.  
  
"How?"  
  
"I got a call earlier this morning from your friend. He told me I should come over." She turned to Ian.  
  
"How?"  
  
"Asked a friend." She smiled.  
  
It was two hours later when everything was decided. Bola would move in with Teresa. Ian was sad to see her go, but at the same time despretely relieved. Teresa hugged Ian and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have no clue how to repay you!"  
  
"Just make sure Bola doesn't kill anybody."  
  
"Oh, she won't. It isn't in her to kill, is it half pint?"  
  
"Me? Nah." When Teresa turned her back, Bola shook her head to Ian and grabbed her wrist to signify the witchblade. He understood what she meant. "I won't tell if you don't."  
  
"You're right. A peaceful soul." He winked at her. Bola gave him a hug as well.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Your welcome. I'd say we were even." She nodded her head.  
  
"Yeah. Well, see ya."  
  
"See ya." He watched them walk down the hall together.  
  
Eli: What next? I'm not sure myself. Let me think about it. Damn, this chap was long! Reviews please! I've been craving them. 


	8. Test Your Might

Eli: Sorry it's been a while. Restrictions, go figure. High school is just the polite way of saying Hell above earth. You know who created high school? The same idiots who dare cancel Witchblade! I'm signing things, writing letters, whatever it takes to keep our show on! Must have witchblade or I will go terrorist on TNT! Enjoy the chap.  
  
"Ian, why do you, like, stare into the abyss?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You keep staring at nothing." Kelly got a look of hope. "Did you, like, break up with your girlfriend?" She forced her face into a fake-sympathy type of look and crossed over to him. "It's okay. You can, like, tell me."  
  
"No, Kelly. Just have alot on my mind."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Does this chick ever let up? Can't we send her back to Baywatch, yet? I can take the living barbie doll right now! Where's Gabe?  
  
"Yeah, I promised Gabriel to help him with something. I'll be right back." Kelly backed off and sat back down at her desk.  
  
"Like, okay. Tell Gabriel Friday for me. Hurry back now." She winked at him. Ian forced himself to smile and closed the door behind him.  
  
Can't she take a hint?! Must not kill. You are a cop. Your job is to prevent death.  
  
He knocked on the forensic lab's door. "Gabriel?"  
  
"Door's unlocked." He entered and Gabriel was leaning over a microscope.  
  
"Hey Ian, what's up?"  
  
"Need time away from my damn partner. By the way, she said to tell you Friday."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"What does she mea... You didn't! You are not going out on a date with that thing?!"  
  
"Guilty as charged."  
  
"Gabriel! Have you lost your mind?!" Gabriel shrugged.  
  
"What? She maybe stupid, but even you have to admit she's hot!"  
  
"No, she's completely plastic. You two will go out and people will think you're a child molester. You are going out with a teenager!"  
  
"I am not, and if you don't find her hot, I don't know who you do."  
  
"You do know."  
  
"Ah yes. Sara. How is the mystery woman?"  
  
"I wouldn't know."  
  
"Sounds like someone is depressed." Ian didn't answer. "Hello? Earth to Nottingham? What is up?"  
  
"I don't know. I really don't know."  
  
"What do you mean you don't know?"  
  
"Just what I said." Ian's cell went off. He picked it up.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Detective, care to join me for an afternoon chat?"  
  
"Sure, what the hell."  
  
"Excellent. I await your arrival." Irons hung up. Ian cheered up a bit.  
  
I may have to deal with Irons, but at least Sara will be there.  
  
"See ya, Gabriel."  
  
"Where you going?"  
  
"An afternon chat."  
  
"Alright. See you tomorrow."  
  
"Have fun with Barbie."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
-That afternoon-  
  
Ian arrived at the mansion around four. As usual, Sara was there to lead him to Irons. She wouldn't look at him directly and chose to remain silent. Ian never took his eyes off her. Right before they entered the library, Ian grabbed her from behind and whispered something into her ear.  
  
"I missed you." Sara held back the blush that started to make it's way across her face. She moved away from him and opened the door.  
  
Irons was at her desk. She purposely had worn a mini skirt and tight blouse. This meeting was not about information. It was about being allies. She put on a fake smile and rised to greet him.  
  
"Detective Nottingham. I am very pleased to see you again." She came over to hug him, but he backed up and gave her the coldest look he could muster. She took the hint.  
  
"I hope you have a good reason for calling me here, Ms. Irons."  
  
"Meredith, if you please. I do have a very important reason for asking you here today."  
  
"Then get on with it." Ian prepared himself for one of her history lectures on the witchblade. He also glanced at Sara, who was standing by the fireplace. The fire made her face more brilliant. He looked back at Irons with her white blond hair and pale blue eyes. Then he looked at Sara with her light brown hair and green eyes. Such green eyes. She was by far alot more attractive than her boss. Irons noticed his attention was not on her, so she went directly in front of him and proceeded to tell him of her plan.  
  
"Tell me, Ian. How much do you think you know about the witchblade?"  
  
"More than I would care to."  
  
"Do you know of the Periculum? (I have no clue how to spell it, so bear with me.)  
  
"Periculum?" Memories flashed through his head. "The test?"  
  
"Yes. You know more than I thought. Do you know what happens if you succeed with the test?"  
  
"I live and keep my sanity?"  
  
"Besides that, the witchblade would forever stay with you and could not be taken back."  
  
"Lucky me."  
  
"Yes. But how do you plan to pass the periculum?"  
  
"Uh, best I can?"  
  
"You will need help." Meredith began to walk toward him. Sara lifted her head up and watched in horror in what was happening. She had seen this trick far too often. Sara held back bitter tears. No one had ever resisted her. She had a century worth of practice on her side.  
  
Ian, don't! Please! You can't trust her! You can't let her control you. You or the witchblade. Please!  
  
"I can help you, Ian. I know the witchblade's secrets and I know what is to come with the periculum." Irons put her this arm around his neck. She caressed his cheek with her other hand. "I can be the one to help you. Trust me, Ian."  
  
She's a snake, but she is a convincing one. Everything said thus far is true. What would be so wrong to use her for information?  
  
Ian was tempted to agree. The he saw the twisted smile come to her face, the spite in her eyes. He looked beyond her at Sara. She was looking at him. Her eyes were so tragic, so beautiful. She was so beautiful. Her eyes pleaded with him. She slightly shook her head. He understood what she was telling him.  
  
"I'm sorry Ms. Irons. But I'm a big boy and can take care of myself." He pushed her off him with a smile. His eyes briefly flashed to Sara. She showed a ghost of a smile. Irons saw where his attentions were and turned around. Sara immediately returned to her normal position.  
  
"I understand you like independence, but to not except needed help is irrational."  
  
"Who said I ever wanted something rational?"  
  
"You are a very stubborn man, but you will see the errors soon enough."  
  
"You wish."  
  
"That's enough for today, detective. I will see you later."  
  
"I hope not, Meredith." Her eyes narrowed as he hissed her name out. She turned toward Sara. "Please show him the way out. Afterwards, I must speak with you."  
  
"Yes, mistress." Ian followed Sara out. She seemed even more tensed than before. He wasn't going to have this. He went in front of her and blocked the way. When she tried to get around him, he grabbed her wrists and pressed her into the wall.  
  
"Sara, look at me." She shook her head and kicked his stomach.  
  
Damn, she has one hell of a kick! And I know she was barely trying that time.  
  
"Sara, please look at me. Don't shut me out like you do the rest of the world. Please Sara?" She couldn't deny him any longer. Not when it was something so innocent. In fact, she was sure she couldn't deny him anything. She forced her head up and looked at him. He let go of one of her wrists and moved his hand to her face.  
  
"Thank you." He moved in closer and kissed her lightly on the lips. He knew by now she wasn't use to this sort of thing, so he made it short. She moved away again after he had stopped. Ian sighed and they continued on. She opened the door for him before he had a chance to stop her. Ian put his hand on her cheek.  
  
"She's going to hurt you."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Sara, you don't deserve this. You can leave right now."  
  
"I can not."  
  
"I can't bear the thought of her hurting you. I know she's going to."  
  
"It is the way things are." Sara shut the door behind him. She sighed and leaned against the door. She held back tears.  
  
I want to be with you. I don't like, absoulutely hate, doing this to you. But it is for the best. Everything around me dies and you deserve a chance to be normal. I couldn't give you that happiness.  
  
Sara made her way back to the library. Irons looked down at her. She was deffinitely not pleased.  
  
"Well, the wielder seems to have taken a liking to you, Sara. I wonder why."  
  
"I am sure he doesn't, mistress."  
  
"Well, then can you name another reason he is always so fixated on you. He stares at you. What have you two been doing, Sara?"  
  
"Nothing, mistress. I have told you everything." Irons turned her back on her and went to her desk. She picked up a parcel and threw it at Sara's feet. Her eyes went wide. They were pictures of her and Ian at that club.  
  
"I don't recall hearing about this, Sara." Irons voice was every bit like the snake she was. She came over to Sara and slapped her face. Sara forced her head back up to answer.  
  
"It was an accident. It will not happen again, mistress." Irons slapped her again, this time with help from her perfectly manicured nails. Sara closed her eyes to the pain and tried to think of her beloved. His lips on hers. She opened her eyes again and glanced at Irons.  
  
"It had better not." Irons walked behind her and grabbed a handfull of her hair. "For your sake, it had better not." She pulled Sara's head back violently. "He is MINE. I claim him for my own. Remember that, Sara. Know your place benieth us. He is mine." She then slammed Sara into a wall.  
  
"You have been a very bad girl." Irons withdrew a dagger. Sara closed her eyes again. As tight as she could. She pictured Ian in her mind. She would not let go of the memory. Even as Irons sliced at her back. She pictured the two of them. Like in the dreams, memories. When they were together. He was hers, not Irons.  
  
When she opened her eyes again, she was kneeling in a pool of her own blood. Irons was staring at her. Sara's blood was splattered across her face. Irons stared at her bitterly. "Go, the test is upon us. Go!"  
  
-That night-  
  
Ian shifted uncomfortably in his bed. He was tired as hell, but couldn't put his thoughts aside. He kept thinking about Danielle and Mario. Their dead bodies lying limp. And even when he put them aside, he thought about Sara, about what she had said.  
  
"It is the way things are."  
  
Not much of anything, but he took it as a rejection. It hurt. It painfully hurt. He had half offered her to be with him without saying the words. He should have said the words. Maybe if he had, she would be with him right now. He glanced at his clock. 11:11 p.m.  
  
Suddenly, he felt his body go straight. It also went stiff. He couldn't move, it was like he had bindings. He looked down. He DID have bindings. The witchblade had spread itself over his body. His head was burning. His breathing became heavy.  
  
What the hell? Is this the test? What the hell is it trying to prove?  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
"Watch your mouth." He was relieved to see Danielle beside him.  
  
"Sorry, mom." She gave him a half smile and put her hand on his forehead.  
  
"What the hell?!"  
  
"Ian, you're dying."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That's why I can touch you now."  
  
"Is this the test?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Stay with me?"  
  
"Of course." Ian then closed his eyes and entered another place.  
  
There was a man, a warrior. A black knight of sorts. The kind of warrior that battles for the blood shed. The man turned toward him and glared.  
  
"Name me, child."  
  
"Ares." Ian hissed out. This man was corrupt, evil.  
  
"Correct. So, you are chosen?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Pathetic thing of a man. Do you even have a warrior's spirit within you?"  
  
"I am a warrior."  
  
"Who do you battle?"  
  
"I war against criminals. It's my job."  
  
"So? That does not make you a warrior."  
  
"And I suppose a love of blood shed does?"  
  
"What I did with my life was my choice. I prove one fact."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"Good doesn't always win."  
  
"It will if I have anything to do with it." Ares smirked.  
  
"You have my bark." Ares swung his sword at him. Ian blocked and struck back. He smirked again. "And my bite." He put his sword on Ian's shoulder.  
  
"I guess I approve of you." He moved the sword down to his heart. "It would figure you would meet her." He became cold as he said her.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Your other half. She likes to say your better half."  
  
"Sara?"  
  
"Is that what she goes by now?"  
  
"Yes." Ares stared him in the eye.  
  
"You'd be better off loving the moon."  
  
"She is the moon."  
  
"And I suppose you are the sun. Very well. Off with you, we don't have all night." Ares nudged him with his sword. Ian turned from him and went off.  
  
-Real world-  
  
Danielle was worried. Touching him was one bad sign. The sudden case of blacking out was another. She tried to smile.  
  
"You'll make it through." Danielle turned her head to the window. Someone was out there.  
  
Sara looked in on him. The cold rain felt soothing on her back. She watched over him. But now the other was here, his partner. His dead partner. The chinese woman looked at Sara and made a motion for her to come in. Sara was hesitant. The woman smiled and spoke. Sara couldn't hear her words from outside, but they rang loudly in her head.  
  
"C'mon in. He needs you."  
  
Sara opened the window and stared at them. Danielle motioned toward a chair. Sara pulled it next to the bed and sat down. She put her gloved hand on his fore head. Even through her glove, she could feel his fever. Danielle smiled at the sight of them. She caught Sara's eye and sent her words to her.  
  
"So, you're the one he's so crazy about." Sara shook her head no. "Oh yes, you are. You like him, don't you?" Again, Sara shook her head. "Oh, you love him?" Sara gave a slight nod. "He likes you. Maybe even...."  
  
"He doesn't."  
  
"He does. You don't see, or rather refuse to see, the way his eyes follow you across a room. He would share his life with you, if you'd only let him."  
  
"I ...am not worthy." Her head was down. Something she had learned to do, even if the only presense was only that of a ghost. Half of Danielle wanted to give the girl a hug, while the other wanted to smack her across the head for not seeing what she was doing to Ian.  
  
"Sara, don't believe what your mistress, or should I say mother, tells you." Sara looked up at Danielle.  
  
"Keep that information to yourself, Detective Woo."  
  
"I will."  
  
-The periculum-  
  
Ian found himself being attcked by, literally, a knight in shining armour. He raised the witchblade in deffence and was now engaged in battle. After going back and forth for ten minutes, Ian knocked the sword out of the man's hand. The knight laughed at him through the armour and raised his visor.  
  
"It chooses well."  
  
"Are you King..."  
  
"Arthur? That I am."  
  
"You are a myth."  
  
"As is Ares. You have already met him. Pleasant fellow, if not arrogant."  
  
"Arrogant is an understatement."  
  
"You musn't blame him for his fury. He had a hard time for which he must now repent."  
  
"All life is hard. Why is he so special?"  
  
"He was hated by his father. He bedded his own sister. He killed thousands of men. The witchblade caused him to create his own hell."  
  
"What about you? Did you create your own hell?"  
  
"I did many the same things as he. I bedded my half sister, was hated by my own son. Killed men, but in life I remorsed."  
  
"Incest is a big thing among the wielders."  
  
"It is your choice to repeat it."  
  
"Their is no one to repeat it with."  
  
"Isn't there now?"  
  
"Wait! I hope you aren't saying Sara is...."  
  
"Your sister? My sister? She is not Morgan, so no."  
  
"Who was she?"  
  
"Quinnivere, my queen."  
  
"She betrayed you."  
  
"That was her."  
  
"Would Sara betray me?"  
  
"No. It is not in her to, this lifetime."  
  
"But it was in her in yours?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"This is suppose to be a test."  
  
"It is a test. You just don't know how we judge."  
  
"How do you judge me?"  
  
"I was abandoned by the witchblade for my betrayal against it. My quest for the grail."  
  
"Why was that a betrayal?"  
  
"I was to be a wielder, not a crusader."  
  
"It got jealous?"  
  
"In it's own way, yes. If I ever was a lesson, it is this: Embrace your destiny. With out it, you are already dead."  
  
"I am a wielder and I accept that. It affects everything, but I'll deal."  
  
"Then you can go forth, Ian."  
  
"Right." Ian and Arthur turned from each other.  
  
-Real world-  
  
Sara kept her vigilance by his side. It could have been hours, but she couldn't tell. The other occupant of the room kept trying to start conversation.  
  
"You know he likes you." Sara didn't look at Danielle when she replied.  
  
"No."  
  
"He really does. Why do you think he does those things when you're around?"  
  
"Men are strange." Danielle gave up. Sara would have to figure out he liked her for herself. If she ever did figure it out.  
  
-Periculum-  
  
Ian looked around himself. His surrondings were someplace outside, but everything was gray. Like a movie when you press pause. He felt someone tap him from behind, and he spun around around, ready to attack. The man behind him put his hands up to show he bared no weapons.  
  
"Down boy."  
  
"Sorry, it's just....."  
  
"Don't worry, I did this, too. You just had a run in with the mythical Ares and King Arthur. I couldn't believe it either. Arthur is rather nice. Explains alot, but Ares is.....a diffrent story. A sadistic of the blade."  
  
"Sadistic would be an understatement."  
  
"Perhaps you're right."  
  
"I know I should've asked this earlier, but then again I was attacked and am going through a test that if I don't pass will have to give up my life or sanity: Do all of us wielders look alike? I mean, I couldn't really tell with Ares and Arthur having all that armor on, but you and me?"  
  
"What? I think we look pretty good. Chicks dig the look."  
  
"You're David Bronte, right?"  
  
"Yeah. Well, at least I was, or at least here, am."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Why do you think we look so much alike?"  
  
"Uh, we're related? Are we related?" David shook his head.  
  
"Not in the way you would think. We are the same person."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You are me just as much as I am you. Only, the timeline is different. Time isn't a line. Time is fluid, always moving, always happening. Our worlds are as they have always been, happening, but in different areas. The past happens just as much as the future. We have all died a thousand times and have been born a thousand-one. Do you understand, Ian?"  
  
"I think so. So, have I passed or what?"  
  
"Do you think you've passed?"  
  
"Well, I'm still alive and I seem to be thinking clearly."  
  
"Then you know the answer."  
  
"I've passed."  
  
"Yes. Now, get the hell out of my time period. You're ruining my style." Ian turned to go, when David called to him.  
  
"And Ian?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I never met her, but I saw her through all the other lifetimes. Life isn't even half of what it's worth without her. You have found her. Don't let her leave again."  
  
"Gotcha, thanks."  
  
"See ya." And he was gone.  
  
-Real world-  
  
Ian opened his eyes. He was no longer bound and the witchblade was in its original shape. Well, what he thought was the original shape. He turned and looked over to Danielle.  
  
"Welcome back." He reached out to her, but passed right through.  
  
"Oh yeah, I passed."  
  
"It's better that way."  
  
"There was one good thing about dying, and now its gone. But I am alive."  
  
"And so is she." Danielle nodded toward the other side of the bed. Ian turned to find Sara asleep in the chair besides the bed. "She was here the entire time. I approve, but you deffinitely like the weird ones. Do you know she thinks she's below you? I should have set that girl straight. Maybe I should tell her about your ex-girlfriend, whats her name? Aras?"  
  
"Don't you dare! I like this one. You'll scare her off with that story."  
  
"I got scared with that story. I gotta go, the other side calls. Catch ya later."  
  
"Bye Danielle." He turned back toward Sara. He tilted his head and spoke outloud.  
  
"Don't let her leave again. I think I'll take your advice, David."  
  
Eli: Done. I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, sorry! I didn't mean to take this long! Damn high school! I will be more loyal. Or at least try to! Was this good? 


	9. Here With Me

Eli: Hello. To answer a question: Cathain is Arthur's equivalent. Joan is Ares. Let me explain why. Joan is angry and mourns in her own hell. Cathain was betrayed by her lover, like Arthur. The reason I used Ares for the sacrifice is because it's just easier to explain. Everyone knows Elizabeth equals David, so no worries. Enjoy;)  
  
She was fast asleep. Ian shook her shoulder, but she didn't even move. She was dead to the world. He smiled, since her not being awake would make his plan easier.  
  
Sara wasn't just tired. She was exhausted. Unknowing to Ian, she had had no sleep for the past three days. Otherwise, she would have left before he would have noticed her there.  
  
Ian got out of bed and went behind the chair. He lightly removed her jacket and sweaters. He was going to stop at her shirt, but when he got there, it was covered with dark stains. His curiosity got the better of him and he removed the shirt as well. He stared on in shock.  
  
The back of her tank top was cut and there were deep and plentiful gashes all over her back.  
  
"Sara." He said quietly in a whisper. He immediately went to his bathroom and grabbed the first aid kit. He then slowly lifted up the back of her tank top to see the full result of the damage. He shook his head from pain. She didn't deserve this.  
  
As he bandaged her back, he saw glimpses of what had happened. But everything came to him backwards. He saw Sara in a pool of her own blood, and then pushed against the wall with Irons savagely attacking her back.  
  
Irons, you sick, sadistic bitch. What the hell is wrong with that woman? Sara.  
  
Finally, he saw Irons confront Sara with photographs. Photos of them at the club. He wanted to kill himself. He had caused all this. He couldn't think of any ways to ever make it up to her. Even if Sara forgave him, he could never forgive himself for letting this happen.  
  
He pulled the tank off the best he could with out looking at her. Even if she was asleep, it didn't seem right to invade her privacy in that way. He grabbed the thinnest o her sweaters and pulled it back over her. He pulled her hair out from under it.  
  
He then pushed the sheets of his bed back. He gently lifted Sara up and placed her in it. She rested comfortably on her side, off her back. He climbed in next to her and pulled the covers up over them.  
  
He put his arms around her neck and waist, careful of any wounds. She relaxed next to him and unconsciously put her arms around him. He got flashes of other lifetimes spent like this. Together in peace. After watching her for a while, Ian slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
-Dawn-  
  
The light rays of sunlight woke Sara up. She quickly realized two things. One, she was not in her room at the mansion. And two, someone was holding her. She blinked her eyes a couple of times and as they focused, she looked into the face of the wielder.  
  
What is this? A reverie? No, this real. What has happened? How did we get like this? We didn't do anything, did we? No, clothes are on. All I remember is the periculum. Did the witchblade do this, or did he?  
  
She then realized that Irons would be looking for her in a few hours. She had to return now. She started to move away from him, but he would not let her. Even through his sleep, he would not let her leave. Half of Sara wanted to let him win in this, to surrender. The other half knew better and she pried herself from his grip. She sadly got out of the bed and stood up.  
  
She would give anything in the world just to stay.  
  
She gathered the rest of her clothes and left out through the window before the thought of staying was all too tempting. With one last look, she left.  
  
She settled into her own bed twenty minutes later. She shivered. The sheets were all so cold. She missed being in his arms. She regretted leaving, but reminded herself it was for the best.  
  
Despite it all, she began to cry.  
  
"Ian."  
  
-Later-  
  
Ian woke up alone and cold.  
  
  
  
~I didn't hear you leave.  
  
  
  
  
  
I wonder how I'm still here.~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ian didn't want to get up. He just closed his eyes again and tried to remember her and him; together.  
  
  
  
  
  
~And I don't want to move a thing.  
  
  
  
  
  
It might change my memory. ~  
  
  
  
Danielle must be right. She must think herself below everyone else. Damn Irons. This is kind of ridiculous when you're rational about it. I'm wielding a mystical blade, refused one of the most powerful women existing, and held a woman who I know next to nothing about. I shouldn't be doing what I am. It will only end up in more harm versus her, but I can't help it.  
  
~Oh, I am what I am.  
  
I'll do what I want,  
  
But I can't hide. ~  
  
He gave up trying to get back to sleep. No dream compared to her. He got up and began to get ready for the day, but he couldn't help but feel part of him was still in that bed holding her.  
  
~I won't go.  
  
I won't sleep.  
  
I can't breathe,  
  
Until you're resting here with me.~  
  
Sara felt empty inside, like part of her soul had been ripped out. The pain gave her no rest. She wished she were back with him.  
  
~And I won't leave.  
  
And I can't hide.  
  
I cannot be,  
  
Until you're resting here with me.~  
  
Kelly's voice echoed on the answering machine. It disrupted the silence in his apartment. He should have picked it up, but didn't. He did not want to go back out of the dream so soon.  
  
~I don't wanna call my friends.  
  
For they might wake me from this dream. ~  
  
She should have never left him. She would never get any peaceful sleep without him ever after.  
  
~And I can't leave this bed.  
  
Risk forgetting all that's been.~  
  
He still had a few minutes before he had to leave. He lay back down on his bed and tried to remember every detail. Everything from the smell of her hair to the feeling of her breathes on his neck.  
  
~Oh, I am what I am.  
  
I'll do what I want,  
  
But I can't hide.~  
  
The witchblade came alive to the sound of the two's silent pleas. It began to glow lightly on Ian's wrist.  
  
  
  
~I won't go  
  
I won't sleep.  
  
I can't breathe,  
  
Until you're resting here with me.~  
  
Ian swore he could feel her against him. Sara could almost feel his embrace. They both opened their eyes, and they were together. Somewhere, sometime. They looked into each other's eyes and then closed them again in sleep.  
  
Sara was fast asleep in her bed. She shifted to her side and mumbled something in her sleep.  
  
"Thank you, my love."  
  
~I won't leave.  
  
I can't hide.  
  
I cannot be,  
  
Until you're resting here with me.~  
  
Ian opened his eyes again, and she was gone. He got up and proceeded to leave for work. He smiled as he went. He understood now. It explained so much. The constant zoning out. The pangs of pain and sadness. The dreams. Even why he did what he did. He knew now and now wondered why it had taken so long to come to the conclusion:  
  
Ian Nottingham was in love with Sara Pezzini.  
  
Eli: I like the turn out of this chap. The song is Dido's Here With Me/ Roswell theme song. I hoped everyone liked it. How was it? You all know I have a constant craving for reviews.  
  
"Women need three things to survive: Food, water, and compliments."-Chris Rock 


	10. She Turned Trick

Eli: Here's the next chap. I mixed two up for this. (Will make sense when you read the fic.) Enjoy.  
  
-Later-  
  
"Kelly, what the hell are you blasting?"  
  
"Mya: Case of the Ex. Don't you like it?"  
  
"No, turn it off. We have work to do."  
  
"We can do work and, like, listen at the same time." Ian did not want to put an argument with a complete idiot.  
  
"Alright. Just turn it down and don't sing with it."  
  
"Okay." She pouted and turned the volume down a notch. She put the song on repeat and Ian was going mad listening to it. He finally got up and made an excuse to see Gabriel. He found Gabriel typing away at his computer.  
  
"Hey Gabe."  
  
"Ian. What the hell is wrong with you? You sound like someone who just spent three hours in a theatre watching a really boring movie."  
  
"Kelly is playing the same song over and over and over and....Oh I can't listen to that girly music all day. I have a damn migraine now."  
  
"Ah, it can't be that bad."  
  
"You just defended her! What did you two do on that date of yours?"  
  
"We...uh....."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"We went to the mall and went shopping. Stop laughing! It was fun."  
  
"That's priceless. So, you're her trained up bitch or what?"  
  
"Shut up! Go away, you're mean."  
  
"I guess after a night of Kelly you can use a break. See ya."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Ian went back to his desk, but was surprised to find a woman sitting on the edge of it.  
  
"Nottingham, long time no see." Ian now found it ironic that the song Kelly was blasting was titled Case of the Ex.  
  
"Lucretia, what do you want?"  
  
"Since when do you use my first name?"  
  
"Sorry. Aras, what the hell are you doing here and what do you want?"  
  
"I was thinking about things. You, me, us...."  
  
"The answer is no." Kelly was watching wide eyed like it was Passions.  
  
"I didn't even ask you a question."  
  
"You don't have to. Just get the hell out of my face."  
  
"Why? We are so good together."  
  
"As I recall, we were good together. Right up until you cheated on me with your brother. How is he by the way? Has he knocked you up with your niece or....."  
  
"That was a mistake. We were drunk, we were depressed."  
  
"You talk like it was only once. Oh, and there was the little thing where you gave my friend a concussion for telling me about you and your brother's sibling activity."  
  
"Moby got better."  
  
"That isn't the point. You are a mother fucking bitch and I never want to see you again! So get the hell out of here!"  
  
"Fine, but believe you me, Ian Nottingham: you will greatly regret this."  
  
"I'm all a shiver, Aras. Leave." She got off his desk and stormed out, flipping him off before she got out of the office. There was a catcalls of Ohhhhhh's and a couple of "Jerry, Jerry.' 's.  
  
Ian sat back down at his desk.  
  
Lucretia Aras, damn her. May she eternally burn in hell. And I mean that.  
  
He scoffed at her work. She had left a picture of them together on his desk. Blue eyed, blonde hair, psycho, sadisitic, jealous. What the hell had he ever seen in her? He tossed the picture into the trash can, the same place she belonged.  
  
He sat back and thought of another woman. One with green eyes and ligth brown hair. The same one he held that morning. Sara.  
  
Now there was a pleasant thought.  
  
-Later-  
  
She was never denied. When she wanted something, it was hers. Not even her brother had resisted her when she wanted to sleep with him. She wanted Ian Nottingham, in life or death. And if she couldn't have him, no one would.  
  
She sat on a fire escape with her sniper. The same sniper that had done in her brother's wife. She waited for him to leave. she would have just as much pleasure from killing him than she would from sleeping with him.  
  
She glanced at her watch. Almost time. She settled the gun on her shoulder and waited for him to walk out that door. No one refused Lucretia Aras and lived to tell the tale. Especially not some cop who wouldn't put out just because of one little mistake.  
  
She saw him head out the door and smiled as she wrapped her finger around the trigger. Just one second more and......  
  
She was about to fire, when she felt someone land in back of her. Lucretia turned around to a punch. She fell back to the side and looked at her opponent. A strange, green eyed woman who was clearly not pleased. Lucretia regained her posture and scowled at her.  
  
"Back off bitch, he's mine." The woman simply shook her head. Lucretia swung at her, but she dodged and then placed a creascent kick to Lucretia's back. She flew into the wall. Lucretia forced herself to look back as she spit a mouthful of blood over the railing. The woman had withdrawn a sword and stood before her, ready to battle.  
  
Lucretia flew at her, but instead came in contact with her sword as it dug through her. She gasped as she felt the blade exit through her spine. She fell to the ground. She took one last look at the woman and her last thought was that of recognition of the look on the woman's face. Her look screamed one lasting remark:  
  
Nobody hurts my man.  
  
Lucretia died. Sara pulled her sword out of her and wiped the blood off with her glove before she put it back in it's place. She looked back over toward the precinct. All was fine. She ligered there for a moment, and then she was gone.  
  
Ian felt the witchblade warm up on his wrist and he looked up. He felt like someone had just saved him. He could have sworn that Sara was out there. He smirked at where he felt her presence.  
  
"Thanks, whatever happened." And he went home.  
  
Eli: I couldn't have Ian have an ex that looked like Sara, now. Then I remembered a certian sadistic bitch from the finale. So put one and one together and you get ten o'clock. How was this? 


	11. Black Dragon Rampant

Eli: Hello. Here's a new chap. Beloved one: Thank you for all the support. Sorry about so few chaps, but I am in high school. I do not have 24/7 to write anymore like I did in the summer. So if chaps come out fewer, you can blame school. I'm lucky to get this chapter out. Well, enjoy  
  
-Three days later-  
  
Ian was home alone when someone knocked on his door. He got up off the couch and opened it. He was surprised to find the person there aiming a gun at his head.  
  
After he realized who it was, he disarmed him and then started to laugh.  
  
"Moby, you ass. What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"Someone has to keep you on your toes. Lots of things brought me here. Vacation, money, and the good news of Aras death."  
  
"So you heard?"  
  
"Yep. I thought the bitch would never die. Live on like cock roaches and Cher."  
  
"You wouldn't have anything to do with it, would you?"  
  
"Like I would tell the N.Y.P.D. anything. Let me in." Moby pushed pass him and entered the apartment. Ian shut the door behind him.  
  
"I'm serious, Moby. Did you?"  
  
"No. Look at the technique: Broad sword. Since when do I use a sword? Guns, on the other hand...."  
  
"Right. Have you married your shot gun, yet? Or are you too much in love with your snipper?"  
  
"Shut up! Just because I love weapons doesn't mean I'd marry them. That's what eloping is for."  
  
"Such a riot. I' surprised they didn't kick you out of the unit, yet. You are way too happy go lucky to be going out to war. God, do you sing when you're on the front line?"  
  
"Yep, yep, yep. They enemy get the karoke version of Too Sexy."  
  
"I didn't need to hear that. Damn it Moby! Now, I'm going to have nightmares!"  
  
"I thought you said you already were."  
  
"Well, yeah. But nothing as scary as the thought of you singing that song. If the guns don't get the enemy, your singing will." Moby threw a pillow off the couch at him.  
  
"I can sing. Want me to prove...."  
  
"No! Spare me!"  
  
"Alright. So, what's there to do around here?"  
  
"Lots of things."  
  
"Oh, where's that Sara chick. I wanna see her."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, it's a rule. If your best friend loves a girl, then you have the right to interrigate her."  
  
"That won't be happening."  
  
"Oh come on! Call her down here."  
  
"I can't..... She's busy."  
  
"Liar, but I'll let you get away with it."  
  
"So, are you crashing here?"  
  
"Of course. Not like I really need to ask premission."  
  
"What?"  
  
"How many times have you just dropped in on me and I didn't give a damn?"  
  
"Right. Payback's a bitch."  
  
"So, what do you say......." He was cut off by the sound of a cell phone. Ian and Moby both groaned and went for there phones. It was Ian's.  
  
"Nottingham."  
  
"Ian."  
  
"Sara?"  
  
"I must speak with you." Moby tried to grab the phone from Ian. "Is that the mystery girl?" Ian covered the speaker. "Yes, she wants to talk. Now, shut up!"  
  
"Of course. When?"  
  
"In an hour. Your apartment."  
  
"Alright." Sara hung up the phone. Moby tilted his head.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"She's coming over."  
  
"Aha! Then the interrogation begins!" Moby started laughing at Ian. Ian glared at him.  
  
"Hector, I swear to God I will kick your ass if you embarass me!"  
  
"I won't. I just might mention some things from when we were younger." He had a touch of fake innocence to his voice.  
  
"What are you going to tell her?"  
  
"Nothing important. Maybe just that you went drag to that Holloween party a few years back."  
  
"You wouldn't."  
  
"I even have a picture with me." He pulled out a picture of them in costume. Ian lunged for it, but Moby was too quick. Moby laughed as Ian fell over the couch. Ian looked up at him from the floor and could only join him in laughter.  
  
It's been too damn long. Moby still cracks me up. Too bad he can't be around more often. How am I going to explain Sara to him?  
  
-Later-  
  
Ian and Moby had hooked up a PS2 to the t.v. and where currently playing when Sara startled them from behind.  
  
"Who's winning?" She asked causually. Both men turned around and looked at her.  
  
Ian quickly turned off the game system and wanted to hit himself on teh head for letting her see that.  
  
Damn, double damn. How could I do this? God, she won't look at me with respect anymore.  
  
The three of them looked at each other in awkward silence, when Moby decided to break the ice.  
  
"I was winning. Ian can't play if his life depended on it."  
  
"Shut up! I kicked your ass in the first match."  
  
"Only cause you pressed all the buttons and accidently did a combo."  
  
"No, that was skill."  
  
"Yeah, I believe you." Moby turned to Sara and gave her a quick look over. He decided that his best friend had fallen for a goddess. This chick was deffinitely beautiful, if not on the shy side. He could believe Ian falling in love with someone like this. He smiled and went in to twist the knife of embarassment a bit more.  
  
"So Ian, this is Sara." Ian curiously looked at Moby and prayed he didn't do anything.  
  
"Yeah. Sara this is my friend, Hector Mobius." Sara nodded in his direction. She did not like this man's attention on her. She felt he would do something she would not agree with.  
  
Moby circled her and then went to see if he could make Ian blush.  
  
"He's told me alot about you Sara."  
  
"Oh." She looked down.  
  
"Just the other day he told me that he wanted you." Ian stared at Moby and Moby grinned at his success at making him blush. Sara's eyes were no longer present as she contemplating slitting this man's throat. Ian was ready to jump him, tie him, and throw him in a river with cement shoes on. he tried to lighten the words.  
  
"Moby, finish the sentence. Wanted you to help out with something of importance. Right, Hector?" He glared at him and Moby nodded his head.  
  
"Yeah, of course. How else would I mean that?"  
  
"I'm not answering that." Sara was ready to ditch helping the wielder. Ian and Sara would not look at each other. Moby then realized that the joke had caused more than he wanted. He then tried to loosen them up.  
  
"So Sara, what do you do?"  
  
"I work for Meredith Irons."  
  
"Irons? Billionaire Meredith Irons?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
She is also my mother. Or at least was. She also wants me to kill the wielder. That's why she sent me here. To lure him into a trap. But I won't. She can kill me if she wants. I will not do such a thing. I could never do such a thing.  
  
Ian was more humiliated than either Moby or Sara could believe. He felt as if the situations between them got a whole lot harder. He made an excuse to leave the room for a couple minutes while contemplating what to do.  
  
When Ian left, Moby decided to do some digging. Sara leaned against the wall as he stood pacing the room.  
  
"Sara, what do you think about Ian?"  
  
"He is brave, he is strong. and he has a good heart."  
  
"Do you like him?" Sara thought a moment.  
  
"No." Moby was confused by her answer. She had just complimented him yet she didn't...... It suddenly came to Moby. She didn't like him.  
  
She was in love with him.  
  
Moby smiled at his revelation. 'Good for them' he thought. He had known Ian since they were teenagers and he had never really had a girl who actually loved him in return. And Sara looked like someone who would not mind having Ian loving them unconditionally.  
  
Today was an excellent day to stop by. Ian's reay to go, but she looks like she needs a push.  
  
"You know, Sara. Ian told me something rather interesting about you."  
  
"Would you mind relating it?"  
  
"He said he thought you didn't really like him. I find that odd. Especially to the fact that you are in love with him." Sara's face didn't change with the comment, but her eyes flashed her fear, confusion, anger, and everything else she held inside.  
  
"You two should talk about that. I wasn't joking when I said he wanted you." Sara looked down again. He figured she didn't believe him. "I'm his best friend, so I should know. I think you two suit each other. I approve if anything ever happens. You know," He waited till he had her eyes. "It would figure he would fall for someone like you."  
  
-Mean while-  
  
Ian paced his bed room. He couldn't believe what Moby did. He was probably in there sprouting lies to her just to get him even more worked up.  
  
"Ian. Down boy." Ian turned to find Danielle standing behind him.  
  
"Did you see that?"  
  
"Yeah. I see alot of things. you really do suck at video games."  
  
"Danielle, I'm serious. She won't even look at me." He groaned and sat on the bed. "I can't stand this. I need her here. But she doesn't want anything to do with this."  
  
"Ian, you don't know how wrong you are. This is hard for her. She has never dealt with things like this before. She is confused and the loss of control scares the hell out of her. She thinks she's protecting you and it kills her inside just to see you. If you think she's killing you, you can't imagine how much pain you are inflicting on her."  
  
"What are you talking about? I would never do anything to hurt her. I....." He trailed off. He still felt it was private. Danielle understood and nodded.  
  
"So why don't you tell her? She would give up all she knows to be here forever. You two are meant to be forever. You see it in the visions. She sees it, too. Ease her pain, Ian. Tell her, she's here now. Moby knows you need privacy. Tell her, or else you'll lose her in yet another lifetime." Ian nodded.  
  
"Thank you, Danielle."  
  
"See ya, other world calls." And she vanished. Ian stepped into the living room. Moby saw them look at each other and knew his place.  
  
"Nice talking to you, Sara. Ian, gotta run. I've decided to go out and see the sights all night. I'll see you in the afternoon tomorrow." And without another word, Moby picked up his stuff and left.  
  
Eli: One fine conversation coming up. Will be long. Let me work on it. 


	12. As Long As You Love Me

Eli: Here it is! My work, my piece, the chap everyone has been waiting for. Joy, you'll get more than what you asked of me. Enjoy.  
  
Sara and Ian were silent directly after Moby left. Finally, Ian put a smirk on his face.  
  
"Alone at last." He could have sworn Sara ever so slightly smiled. Ian crossed the room and leaned against the wall.  
  
"So, what did you need to tell me?" Sara looked up at him.  
  
"I was sent here to kill you." She lowered her head again. "But I can not."  
  
If the revelation startled Ian, he didn't show it. "Why not?"  
  
"It is something that could never in this world be returned." She lowered her head further and started to walk toward the door. Ian grabbed her wrist.  
  
"Sara, no. Irons sent you here. You have disobeyed her. She will hurt you."  
  
"She will kill me. But nothing can be done." She looked at him. Her beautiful green eyes brimmed with tears. "Good-bye." She tried to remove her arm from his grasp, but he held onto her tightly.  
  
The thought of her dying was too much for him to even think about. "Sara, will you listen to me? I will ask no more of you than that." Sara could not resist. She knew she couldn't. she still pulled her wrist away, but stood there waiting for what he had to stay.  
  
Ian was about to begin, when his neighbor began to blast music. The sudden outburst made them both jump. Ian contemplated killing the one next door, when he recognizied the song she was playing and decided that it helped the element.  
  
~Loneliness has always  
  
been a friend of mine.  
  
I'm leaving my life  
  
in your hands.~  
  
He took her gloved hand and made sure he had her eyes.  
  
"Understand that I mean this, more than anything in my life. Sara?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I love you." She lowered her head, but he forced her head back up. "Don't, I'm not done. I live this life for you. It hurts me, Sara, to come home every single night and know that I will be alone. I want you here, Sara. If only to protect you. In the dreams, I see us. One lifetime after another. I want that for this lifetime, too."  
  
~People say I'm crazy  
  
and that I am blind.  
  
Riskin' it all  
  
in a glance.~  
  
"I need to know. What do you want, Sara?" Sara shook her head and was really crying.  
  
"I can't answer that. I wish I could, but I can't. There is so much you don't know......"  
  
"I don't care."  
  
"You can not love me."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You need someone better."  
  
"You are the best. I need you, Moby was right."  
  
"There is so much you don't know."  
  
~How you got me blind  
  
is still a mystery.  
  
I can't get you  
  
out of my head.~  
  
"Then tell me whatever I need to know." Sara back away a little.  
  
"I'm an assassin. You save the people I'm sent to kill." She lowered her head. Ian took a moment to let it sink in before speaking.  
  
"Sara?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I couldn't care less."  
  
~Don't care what is written  
  
in your history.  
  
As long as you're here  
  
with me.~  
  
"There is one more thing." Sara slowly began to remove her gloves. Ian had never seen her without them. First the left, and then the right. She held up the back of her right hand.  
  
She had the markings of the witchblade.  
  
It was the two interlocking circles, except hers were different. Hers had pieces of metal sunk into it. As if the witchblade had been torn off her hand after being attached.  
  
"She made me wear it. She thought that I could, but I couldn't control it. She tore it off me, but it left a lasting reminder of itself. The metal IS part of the witchblade." Sara looked back at him. "I have already been rejected."  
  
~I don't care  
  
who you are.  
  
Where you're from.  
  
I don't care  
  
what you did.  
  
As long as you love me.  
  
Who you are.  
  
Where you're from.  
  
Don't care what you did.  
  
As long as you love me.~  
  
Ian moved closer to her. "But not by me. Never by me. Sara, I saw what she did to you because of that one night."  
  
"I should have never left position."  
  
"No. I should have made sure this wouldn't happen."  
  
~Every little thing that  
  
you have said and done  
  
Feels like it's deep within  
  
me. Oh, oh, yeah.~  
  
"There's more you're not thinking about. We could never have peace. She would come after us."  
  
"Then let her come and bring all her fury." He picked up her hand, her bare hand. The feeling of bare flesh was over powering to both. "As long as you are here, I don't care. Sara, I can't dream of a hundred lifetimes and wake up to the reality of it. Please, Sara."  
  
~Doesn't really matter  
  
if you're on the run.  
  
It seems like we're  
  
meant to be.~  
  
I have wished. I have prayed. I have dreamt of moments like this, but how can we live with the blood on our hands? How could I ever fit into his life?  
  
"I would never fit in."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I could never be normal, even out of control. I couldn't be the type to go to and meet friends." Ian placed his other hand, not letting go of her hand, on her cheek.  
  
"Then we are perfect. I'm not normal either." His eyes finally caught hers.  
  
~I don't care  
  
who you are.  
  
Where you're from.  
  
Don't care what you did.  
  
As long as you love me.  
  
Who you are.  
  
Where you're from.  
  
Don't care what you did.  
  
As long as you love me.  
  
Yeah.~  
  
"I know you're scared, Sara. But believe me when I say that I love you more than anything or anyone. You have two choices you can return to her and die, at which point I pretty much die with you. Or you can stay here. What do you want Sara?"  
  
She looked at his eyes, and she knew. This was no trick. This was real, and what he said was true.  
  
~I've tried to hide it  
  
so that no one knows,  
  
but I guess it shows.  
  
When you look into my eyes.  
  
What you did and  
  
where you're coming from.  
  
I don't care.  
  
As long as you love me, baby~  
  
Ian saw the gleam of decision in her eyes and knew immediately what she wanted, but he waited to hear her say it anyway.  
  
"I want to stay here." And with that he pulled her into an embrace. "I love you, Sara."  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
~I don't care  
  
who you are.  
  
Where you're from.  
  
What you did.  
  
As long as you love me.  
  
Who you are.(As long as you love me.)  
  
Where you're from.(As long as you love me.)  
  
What you did. (I don't care.)  
  
As long as you love me.~  
  
As the song ended, they pulled apart a little so they could see each others eyes. Ian knew that they would be like this for a lifetime. For even longer than that.  
  
Forever.  
  
They both smiled at the thought. That was exactly what they wanted.  
  
Eli: It ain't over till the fat lady sings. The song is As long as you love me by The Backstreet Boys. I wasn't going to put a song in, but I heard the lyrics and it was like destiny. More to come soon. (I hope.) 


	13. Connection Snapped

Eli: Hello. I'm stopping English Invader for a while. Sorry for those who want to read more of it. I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
  
David Bronte.  
  
Secret agent, hero of war, wielder of the witchblade, the only love of Meredith's life. As she sat on the chair by the fire, gazing at his picture, she seemed to recall most of the events that befell them.  
  
She remembered the party where they had first met. How he immediately tore her attention away from Hitler and had her for his own. She remembered him talking her into leaving Berlin and siding with the Americans. Oh how much she had trusted him. To let him navigate her life. How entirely she had given into his every whim.  
  
And how horribly he had tossed her aside.  
  
He had never told her he knew she was not his true love. That he seeked another woman who was a polar opposite. Meredith had been a pawn to him, nothing real. Just a way to keep searching.  
  
Then again, he never knew Meredith knew about his soul mate from her contact with the witchblade. He had never known Meredith had gotten to her first, a young Jewish woman. A woman with extraordinary green eyes. A woman who was yet another victim to the holocaust.  
  
Meredith sipped her wine. She loved him and yet hated him. Even from his grave he taunted her. "Will you never cease, David?"  
  
The portrait had no reply. It never did. Over fifty years, he talked no longer. Silent.  
  
His remains probably lie somewhere in England. His blood separated forcibly from it. Taken to a lab and used for research. So much had been discovered over the last fifty years. But now they were running out. Even the fountain of youth needed to be replenished. She glanced at the clock.  
  
"Sara, you stupid girl. Where are you?"  
  
Perhaps she had run so that she didn't need to kill the wielder. Yes, Meredith knew Sara liked him. She knew many things. She knew she should have never had Sara. That she should have had an abortion rather than give birth to that ungrateful thing.  
  
Sara had served her so well up till now. Meredith then recalled that fateful ball. The place where her ice blue eyes had been captured by a certain pair of green ones from across the room. How she found herself moving towards the man. Quiet, strong, handsome, intelligent, and faithful. That was James Pezzini.  
  
Sara's father. Sara took after him. Meredith didn't really know if she loved him or not. She liked him, slept with him, married him briefly, and then was torn from him. Lost him to a stray bullet.  
  
Then she had Sara. She tried to lover her daughter, but found it oh so difficult. The child had loved her. She was special. So special Meredith even let her try on the bracelet. But she didn't know then. Not till after Sara's contact with the blade did she realize she could never love this child. The child with bright green eyes.  
  
The child meant for the wielder.  
  
Sara, not Meredith, was meant to be with next wielder. Unknown to Meredith, James was the nephew of the to be beloved of David. Now, her own daughter was to have the place she so desired. Never could that happen. Would never happen.  
  
She became emotionally unattached to her own daughter. Then, she raised her as an Amazon, a warrior, an assassin. Made her so unrelated to the whole world that she could never fit in. Could never know any of its joys.  
  
So that she could never know love.  
  
But now this new wielder, this clone of her David, cared not. She knew his attraction to her offspring. How he wished to take her away.  
  
But he did not love her.  
  
He could not love her. Sara was too abnormal. She could never tempt him for long. Could never be what he wanted her to be. Sara didn't even dare to remove her gloves. How could she ever be the lover he desired her to be? Meredith smiled at the thought. She had foiled the love once again.  
  
Or so she thought.  
  
Her smile soon faded as she felt the witchblade took over. She was swept with the wielders emotions and was disgusted. Happiness, joy, relief, longing, thankful. What was this? And with each minute it became stronger, more over whelming.  
  
What the hell was happening?  
  
The witchblade willed the connection stronger as she heard the things he heard. Felt the things he felt. She knew now what was going on. He was sleeping with someone. Meredith tried to get to the phone, to call Sara to make whoever the wielder was with stop the activities. Sara, being the infatuated child she was, would most likely oblige. But She was too weak to get to the phone.  
  
The sickening sensation of the wielders feelings over whelmed. He loved this woman. And this woman loved him just as equally. That was why the connection was so strong. It came from he purest of forms. The love sickened Meredith to the stomach. Who was this woman? She need not wonder for long.  
  
The connection was even stronger. So strong she even felt herself mumbling the same things he did. One name stuck out.  
  
"Sara."  
  
No! It could not be. He was bedding her own daughter? And she felt this? The witchblade may have always hated her, but this was too much. To feel a man pleasuring her own flesh and blood was the most sickening thing that could be done. And Sara! How dare she let herself be used in this way.  
  
Suddenly, the connection was cut off. No reasons. Meredith summoned all her strength to feel her ties to the witchblade, but it was to no avail. She went to trace the lines of her scars, but none were there. She looked frantically at her hand, but nothing was there. The witchblade had cut her off. Permanently. She knew not how or why, but she was certain that was what had happened. She was terribly confused, but one other thing was certain to her.  
  
Sara would pay, dearly.  
  
Eli: More soon. How was this? 


	14. When The Morning Comes

Eli: Here, just for you, Joy. Hope everyone is satisfied. Enjoy.  
  
Dawn approached them steadily. Sara only half woke too tired from the night before to be fully awake just yet. She felt his arms circling her form. She just leaned against him more. She knew this is where she belonged. She then went back to sleep.  
  
Ian heard his alarm go off and turned it off. He looked down on Sara's form against him. He had gotten through the lairs. He knew her now, and he was not disappointed. He could feel one of her hands on the back of his neck. He liked the fact she had finally did not have her gloves on. He smirked at the fact her gloves weren't the only thing missing off her.  
  
He traced the scars that ran over her back. The last ones had healed, but left a lasting impression. He still blamed himself for that. After all, if it wasn't for him, that would have never happened to her. Then again, he would have never realized he was in love with her.  
  
Fate was so strange.  
  
The scars on her back were not rough as a man's is, but as soft as the rest of her. When marks are on men, they are courageous and honored. When marks are on women, they are hated and considered ugly. This was not so in Sara. It just made him remember how he would die to free her from her pain. Every scar, every bruise. It all just made him love her all the more.  
  
He contemplated ditching work and decided on it. He would call in sick later. He closed his eyes and slept on next to her.  
  
-Flash-  
  
Young Sara, at the time ten, sat before her mother. Correction, the person who had been her mother. She laid out a book before Sara. It showed a man raping a woman. The illustration bothered Sara greatly.  
  
"You see this, Sara?"  
  
"Yes, mistress."  
  
"Know it well. This is what it looks like to be with a man. See the woman's pain? That is all it is, pain. It is pain before, during, and after. Turn the page."  
  
Sara did as she was told. She saw the woman, bruised from her encounter, being discarded from her family.  
  
"After the act is done, the man leaves you. He cares only for himself. As soon as he has bedded you, he throws you away like a soiled shirt. As soon as your usefulness for the night is done, he ignores you forever. You are heart broken and can no longer function. Learn from this, Sara. The less emotional attachment you have, the less vulnerable you'll be. Isolation is safety." She kneeled down to Sara's level so that she was forced to look her in the eye.  
  
"Virginity is invulnerability."  
  
Sara's eyes flew open at the end of the dream/memory. Her breathing was heavy as she clutched the person at her side. She then realized she was clutching somebody. Then, everything from the night before fell into play in her mind. She gasped at the realization for her actions.  
  
She will know. She will get us. No! I can't let anything happen. And I have sinned. He has used me and wants me no longer. I will leave before he bothers to get up to discard me.  
  
She pulled away from him and sat on the edge of the bed. She felt a deep pain in her heart. She had believed him when he said he loved her. She turned back to look at him. As she did, she saw a reflection of her back on the mirror. The ugliness of her beatings. She turned back around and wanted to weep.  
  
How foolish I am. Who could love something that looks like I do?  
  
She grabbed her clothes and started to dress. She was dressed up to her pants and tank top when she felt someone staring at her. She turned around to meet Ian's quiet gaze. His eyes seemed almost sad. He sat up and reached toward her. She moved away from him. Hurt, pain, rejection. It all flashed in his eyes.  
  
"Sara?" He whispered. She felt her eyes swell. She felt herself let out her emotions.  
  
"Don't! Isn't it enough that you led me on to believe you loved me only so you could sleep with me?! Haven't you hurt me enough?! Don't bother to tell me the rest of it, I won't bother you again!"  
  
"Sara? What are you talking about?" He started to get up, and Sara turned. She had seen enough of him the night before and cared to see him no more. He crossed over to her, after he pulled some pants on, and looked into her face.  
  
Where the hell did that out burst come from?  
  
"Sara, I do love you. Where did you get the idea that I didn't?" She turned from him.  
  
"Stop! You have misleaded and used me enough for this lifetime." He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. Sara didn't bother to stop him. She knew she didn't have the power to.  
  
"I would never use you. Why would you think that? You don't sleep with someone just to throw them away in the morning. I love you, Sara. Believe me when I say that. It's true."  
  
"She taught me what happens after this. She said you discard the woman."  
  
What is she talking about? Meredith! What did she teach her? I forgot that she was raised by Meredith. Why does this all frighten her so? Wait, raised by Meredith all her life, trained as an Amazon. Was last night her first? Of course! I pushed her into something she wasn't ready for. Damn, how could I be so damn stupid?  
  
Ian turned her around so he could see her face.  
  
"Sara, last night was new to you, wasn't it?"  
  
"Yes." She lowered her eyes.  
  
"I didn't know. If I had known, I wouldn't have.. Sara, I'm sorry." He wanted her to look at him. She did. "You were not ready for that. I just sprung it on you. I didn't mean to scare you or to upset you. I just wanted you to know how much I love you. Please understand, Sara. I'm not discarding you. I want you to stay here with me. I love you, and don't let anyone or anything else make you think otherwise."  
  
She knew it for a fact. It was true. His eyes could never lie to her. He would never leave her. Not in this life, nor in any other. She slowly nodded and a peace washed over them.  
  
"So, what do we do now?"  
  
"I must go back." Ian tightened his grip on her. He was about to detest her decision when she put a hand over his mouth. "To collect my things. I can't make do with only one pair clothes. I will come back, I promise. My allegiance, my heart, is yours. She no longer has power over me." She removed her hand over his mouth and moved away from him to finish dressing. "You should go to work. It will keep you busy."  
  
Ian nodded and watched her. She pulled on the rest of her clothes and braided her hair back up. She smiled at him when she noticed his attention on her. "Go to work." She kissed him one last time before she left.  
  
Ian looked at his clock and groaned. He only had half an hour to get to work. He rushed through getting ready and only stopped to pick up the phone when it rang.  
  
"Nottingham."  
  
"Ian! Tell me all!"  
  
"Moby, this is not the time."  
  
"Well, at least give me a brief summery."  
  
"Talked, revealed, sex, and she's moving in."  
  
"Whoa! You lucky bastard."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Promise me one thing."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Best man position at the wedding?" Ian rolled his eyes and let out a laugh.  
  
"Of course, whenever that is. Shit! I have to go. See you this afternoon."  
  
"Right. Bye." Ian hung up the phone and went to work.  
  
Eli: More to come. Was it to everyone's pleasure? Reviews, if you please. 


	15. Waking the Demon

Eli: Hello all. Chapters coming. Hopefully soon. Yet another song in the fiction. Enjoy!  
  
Sara silently entered her room from the window. She knew good and well that Meredith would know she was there; she just didn't want to deal with her right this minute. She grabbed a duffel bag and packed only what she couldn't do without: clothes, swords, guns, money, and a lab top.  
  
Sara threw the duffel bag over her shoulder as she opened the door and walked through the hallways one last time. As she expected, Meredith stopped her right outside the study and commanded her to come in.  
  
~Drowning deep in my see of loathing  
  
Broken your servant I am.  
  
(Will you give it to me?)~  
  
"Where were you last night, Sara?" Sara titled her head to the side and looked Meredith right in the eyes.  
  
"With the wielder, mother. Didn't you feel it?  
  
~Looking at my own reflection  
  
When suddenly it changes  
  
Violently, it changes. ~  
  
"You undeserving, treacherous girl of a daughter. I should've had an abortion." Meredith walked up to Sara. "How dare you betray me?" Meredith went to slap her, but Sara caught her wrist in mid swing.  
  
"No!"  
  
~Oh, no! There is no turning back now  
  
You've woken up the demons  
  
In me. ~  
  
"I lived with your lies and manipulations my entire life." She twisted Meredith's arm back and shoved her into the wall. "I will do it no longer."  
  
~Get up; come on get down with the sickness.  
  
Get up; come on get down with the sickness.  
  
Get up; come on get down with the sickness.  
  
Open up your hate and let it flow into me. ~  
  
"I almost didn't see what destiny wanted because of you! You may have given me life, mother, but it is not yours to take back!" Meredith regained her posture and glared at her.  
  
"You stupid, infatuated child! Do you really believe that he could love you?! With your body, your scars. No man wants you, Sara!"  
  
~Get up; come on get down with the sickness.  
  
You mother get up; come on get down with the sickness.  
  
You fucker get up; come on now get down with the sickness.  
  
Madness is the gift that has been given to me. ~  
  
"I know that he could never love you, mother. David never did. He loved her, me, whether he knew her or not. It isn't me that can not be loved, it's you." Sara raised her head and glared back at her. "You can never have the wielder. It is not your destiny."  
  
Meredith screamed with rage and went to attack Sara, who only pushed her to the ground. Looking down on her, she added.  
  
"It is my destiny."  
  
~I can see inside you  
  
The sickness is rising.  
  
Don't try to deny what you feel  
  
(Can you give it to me?)~  
  
Meredith got up off the ground. "Think what you want, you wretched girl. Tell me Sara, how did it feel like for him to use you? Do you really believe him when he says it's more than physical attraction? As soon as he tires of you, he will throw you out. Just as David did to me. And you will have no one, Sara. Is that what you want? To be alone all your days and nights?"  
  
"No, and I won't be. That's why I'm leaving. And you, mother, are powerless to stop it."  
  
~It seems all that was good has died  
  
And is decaying, in me  
  
(Will you give it to me?)~  
  
Meredith smirked and slowly walked to her desk. Secretly, even to Sara, she pushed a button on the side of her desk. "That's where you're wrong, Sara."  
  
Sara came closer to her. "You have no power over me. Nor do you have my allegiance."  
  
~It seems you're having trouble  
  
In dealing with these changes  
  
Living with these changes  
  
Oh no, the world is a scary place  
  
Now that you've woken up the demon  
  
In me ~  
  
Before Sara could turn, a laser beam shot out from the corner of the room. The shock went down Sara's spine, momentarily paralyzing her. Meredith smirked as she grabbed Sara by her hair and threw her into the wall.  
  
~Ooh ah ah ah ah!  
  
Get up; come on get down with the sickness.  
  
Get up; come on get down with the sickness.  
  
Get up; come on get down with the sickness.  
  
Open up your hate and let it flow into me. ~  
  
Meredith picked up a dagger and turned Sara so that she faced her.  
  
"A harpy, a monster with a pretty face. That is all you are."  
  
Sara moaned and struggled to mover her body, but it was useless.  
  
"Let's see if we can change that, shall we?" Meredith put the dagger closer and closer to her face.  
  
"Ian!" Sara screamed.  
  
~Get up; come on get down with the sickness.  
  
You mother get up; come on get down with the sickness.  
  
You fucker get up; come on now get down with the sickness.  
  
Madness is the gift that has been given to me. ~  
  
  
  
"Ian!"  
  
It echoed clearly inside his head as he looked up from his paper work.  
  
"Sara." He whispered. The witchblade began to glow on his wrist.  
  
What the hell is going on?  
  
Gabriel looked at Ian from the door way.  
  
"Yo, Ian. What's wrong?" Ian didn't reply. "Hey Nottingham, you're doing it again!"  
  
When he still didn't answer, Gabriel went over to the desk punched his shoulder.  
  
"Stop playing man, it's not funny." Ian woke up, gazed and looking around.  
  
"Sara." He said again. Gabriel stared at him.  
  
"What about her?" Ian looked up and Gabriel smirked.  
  
"Oh, you bagged her, huh? Lucky, lucky. Better luck then what I'm having with Kelly. What happened? Tell me all the grossly fascinating details."  
  
"Gabe, now is not really the tim.." Ian's cell went off.  
  
"Nottingham."  
  
"Detective." Meredith said coolly.  
  
"Irons. What do you want?"  
  
"I want you to pick up the trash you left at my mansion. She is rather anxious fro you to see her." You could hear Meredith laughing on the other line.  
  
"Meredith," He hissed out, "I swear if you have done anything to her, I.."  
  
"You are in no position to threaten me, Detective. If you want your property, come now to collect it, or else I'll have it disposed of." She hung up.  
  
Ian turned his cell phone off and looked at Gabe. "I'll tell you everything later. But I need to go. Bye Gabriel." Ian rushed out. Gabriel, still confused and trying to figure out what was going on, shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Yeah, see ya."  
  
Eli: Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh. What has Meredith done? What will Ian find? More eventually. (can't say soon.) 


	16. Collection of Property

Eli: Here's the new chapter. Hope you like it. Enjoy!  
  
Ian pushed open the doors to Irons' library. Meredith stood before the blazing flames of the fireplace. She turned and glared.  
  
"Detective."  
  
"Where is she?!" Irons's snorted and went to the dark corner of the room. She pulled Sara out by her arm. Sara's head was bent down low and she refused to make a sound. Meredith dragged her into the light. Then she flung Sara at Ian, who caught her before she hit the floor.  
  
"Take back your whore, wielder. You have tarnished my property and it is now yours."  
  
Ian glared back at Irons before getting Sara to her feet. She kept her head down so that her hair was in her face. Ian put his hand under her chin and raised her face up. Sara lifted her haed up into view and Ian bit his tongue from gasping.  
  
Sara's face was covered in cuts and bruises. Her eyes were filled with tears as he looked upon her face.  
  
No man can love a monster. It can no longer be true. And I wished so much. My heart feels like it's breaking.  
  
The pain was so deep in Sara's chest she shut her eyes and passed out from the pain. Ian held her limp body and looked back at Irons.  
  
"How could you do something like this? Especially to your own daughter, you sadisitic bitch!"  
  
"She is not my daughter. No failure is part of my blood line."  
  
"Except for you. She never failed anything. You just got jealous." Meredith laughed haughtily.  
  
"Why would I be jealous of that?!"  
  
"Because she's everything you're not! Perfect."  
  
"If you consider that perfect then, Detective, you are truly blind."  
  
"Go to hell, Irons!" Ian picked up Sara. She was still unconscious from the pain.  
  
"To there and back, and I must say I found it to my liking. Thank you for removing the whore off my property." Ian quickly put Sara down on the couch and approached Meredith. He grabbed her collar and shoved her into the wall.  
  
"She is not a whore. But she is mine!" He glared at her. "It's no wonder David never loved you."  
  
"You have no right to speak of David!" Meredith shrieked out. She grabbed the nearest weapon, a spear, and threw it at him. Ian activated the witchblade and caught the spear and tossed it to the ground. Ian turned it form a gauntlet to a sword and before Meredith could do anything, shoved it through her stomach. She kneeled over in pain.  
  
The witchblade was a bracelet once again. Ian picked Sara back up and left the mansion with out another look at Irons.  
  
Eli: Whoa! Short but serious. More to come. 


	17. Yet Another Song

Eli: Hi everybody. Sadly, this is the last chapter for this fanfic. All good things must come to an end. Time has come for this fiction. I hope you all enjoyed reading it. And since it is the last time you can, REVIEW PLEASE! Enjoy!  
  
Sara woke up in Ian's apartment. Still slightly asleep, she walked into the bathroom and flipped on the lights. She jumped back when she saw her own reflection. She wanted desperately to turn away from her reflection, but just had to see the total damage.  
  
Most of the cuts were cleaned out, but she saw the soon to be scars very clearly. Ragged lines across her cheeks, over her nose, and slashed over her eyelids. Thankfully, her eye sight was still in tack. Any beauty she had did not fare the same.  
  
When the sight of her own horrid face was too much, she finally looked away. She turned the lights back off and stood in the darkness for a moment.  
  
Irons won. I can't undo this. And if he sends me away after this, I can not blame him. Who could put up with this? I must leave as soon as possible. I can't bare anyone to see me like this, especially not him.  
  
She walked out of the bathroom and back into the bed room. She picked up her heavy jacket and turned to leave out the window.  
  
"Sara." She heard from behind her. She lowered her head, but did not turn. "Sara." He repeated. She felt him grab her wrists. He forced her to face him. When she had turned, he removed one hand from her wrist and put it under her chin to raise her head up.  
  
"No, Ian! I can't.."  
  
"Yes you can. I'm just checking to make sure there's no bleeding." Her head slowly came up and he looked her face over. "Okay, everything's fine."  
  
"No, it's not. Do not lie, Ian."  
  
"I'm not lying, Sara."  
  
"I can't be here. I can't be anywhere. Not anymore."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Stop going around the subject. You know, I know, no one could still love me after this. You need someone better. Someone who isn't me." She rushed past him to the window. Once again, he stopped her.  
  
"Just let me go, Ian. I can't stand to be around anyone."  
  
"I don't want you to go."  
  
"I don't need your pity."  
  
"You don't have my pity." He pulled her away from the window. She crossed her arms more as a distraction then anger.  
  
"Then what do I have?" Ian cupped her cheek.  
  
"My love, my heart, my life." Sara shook her head and started to cry.  
  
"Ian..." But he silenced her.  
  
"Sara, just listen. You are the strongest, bravest, and most beautiful woman I have ever known. I know I have loved you since the very first day, but it feels like I've loved you for an eternity. And I wouldn't mind doing that, either. Sara, I don't want to live this life with out you. I couldn't bare the thought of having to wake up every morning with out you by my side. I can't live that way. Please stay, Sara. Stay and I will love you more than anyone else could."  
  
Tears were in her eyes. They fell slowly down her face. Ian softly wiped them off.  
  
"How can you still, after all this?" Ian surprised her with a slight laugh.  
  
"Sara, I've loved you for over three millenniums. Did you really think a couple of scratches would change that?"  
  
Sara's heart instantly felt uplifted. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. He bent down and kissed her.  
  
As the kiss deepened, the witchblade began to glow lightly on Ian's wrist. The bracelet branched out and wrapped itself onto Sara's wrist. The metal tendrils entered her skin. Surprisingly, Ian and Sara remained oblivious of anything but each other. It traveled along her body and shifted things around. Then it recoiled and became a bracelet again.  
  
When Ian opened his eyes to look at Sara again, she took his breath away. When she saw the look he was giving her, she got worried.  
  
"What's wrong?" He smiled and dragged her into the bathroom. He flipped on the lights, and Sara automatically looked away. Ian faced her toward the mirror.  
  
"Look, Sara." She slowly opened her eyes and then widened them in surprise.  
  
Her wounds were all gone without a trace.  
  
She slowly lifted her hands to her face and traced it, simply not believing it could be real. That she could be like this.  
  
"How?"  
  
"I don't know. But it doesn't matter. It has made you happy, and that's all that matters."  
  
"This is extraordinary. Of course it is the work of the witchblade, but things like this have never happened before. It only has healed the wielder."  
  
"There's a first time for everything." Sara smiled. Then, she pulled off the coat, sweatshirt, and shirt. Once again she was in total shock. Her past scars were also gone. Ian was just as shocked. She turned and lifted the back of her tank top. There was no trace on her skin what so ever.  
  
"This is.." But words failed her. Ian smiled and made a suggestion.  
  
"How I have always seen you. And now, you can see how beautiful you are as well."  
  
Sara smiled and nodded. They got out of the bathroom and Ian grabbed the phone.  
  
"Hey, Vicky?"  
  
"Um, yeah?"  
  
"You can add to your list of knowledge that the witchblade can heal people other than the wielder."  
  
"It can?"  
  
"Yep. Just worked."  
  
"Oh," He heard some shuffling over the phone. "Uh, now is really not the best time."  
  
"Oh sorr-" He was cut short by a familiar voice.  
  
"Who is it?" He heard and instantaneously recognized it.  
  
"No. Gabe?"  
  
"Um, yeah."  
  
"Okay, explain later, I'm getting off. Bye."  
  
"Bye." He hung up the phone and had to sit down. A week ago, he had seen Vicky stick her tongue down a girl's throat. Now, they were back together again. He just shook his head. He looked over at Sara.  
  
"Today was a very long day."  
  
-Later-  
  
The two lay in bed, arms around each other, speaking softly.  
  
~Could you whisper in my ear  
  
The things you want to feel  
  
I'll give you anythin'  
  
To feel it comin'~  
  
"I want to live my life like this. With you. Nothing else."  
  
"You will, Sara. Forever."  
  
~Do you wake up on your own  
  
And wonder where you are  
  
You live with all your faults~  
  
"I'm glad that I can go to sleep tonight and not have to worry about you rushing off, again."  
  
"Never again. But there is still more to worry about."  
  
"It doesn't matter."  
  
~I wanna wake up where you are  
  
I won't say anything at all  
  
So why don't you slide  
  
Yeah, we're gonna let it slide~  
  
"More people will come, try to kill you, us."  
  
"We can take them. At least we don't have to worry about Irons. I'm sorry I had to resort to that, Sara."  
  
"The apology is for nothing. She is still alive. The witchblade can not kill anyone who has worn it. Her spirit is still out lurking around."  
  
"But her body is dead."  
  
"Yes, by all means my mother is gone."  
  
"Well, at least she did two good things."  
  
"And what were they?"  
  
"Have you and then give you to me."  
  
"She discarded me to you, you mean."  
  
"No, I stole you from her."  
  
"I can never go back."  
  
  
  
~Don't you love the life you've killed  
  
The priest is on the phone  
  
Your father hit the wall  
  
Your ma disowned you~  
  
"Would you want to?"  
  
"No. I belong here, with you."  
  
"I don't know how you'll adjust from a mansion to an apartment."  
  
"I'll live."  
  
"I wish I could give you those types of things."  
  
~Don't suppose I'll ever know  
  
What it means to be a man  
  
Something I can't change  
  
I'll live around it~  
  
"I like what you have given me better than any of that."  
  
"Better than anything?"  
  
"Yes, I just want this."  
  
~I wanna wake up where you are  
  
I won't say anything at all  
  
So why don't you slide~  
  
"I still feel like it isn't enough. You mean so much to me. All I can give you is everything I am."  
  
~And I'll do anything you ever  
  
Dreamed to be complete  
  
Little pieces of the nothing that fall~  
  
"That is all I need, my love. You have everything I am, as well."  
  
"That's more than enough. You are already priceless, my Sara."  
  
~May, put your arms around me  
  
What you feel is what you are  
  
And what you are is beautiful.  
  
May, do you want to get married  
  
Or run away~  
  
"I love you, Sara. The most beautiful one among us. Be with me forever?"  
  
"I love you, Ian. I would not live any other way."  
  
With that final response, Sara drifted off to sleep. Ian smiled and held her even closer.  
  
There was still so much to over come, but right now he didn't care. All he cared about was the woman lying down next to him. And as long as she was there to wake up next to him, everything else would be okay.  
  
The witchblade didn't create chaos and death as I thought it would. It actually created peace. Who would've known?  
  
He closed his eyes and fell asleep as well. The witchblade gave them a night off from dreams. And peace surrounded them, because they were finally where they belonged.  
  
~And I'll do anything you ever  
  
Dreamed to be complete  
  
Little pieces of the nothing that fall  
  
May, put your arms around me  
  
What you feel is what you are  
  
And what you are is beautiful  
  
May, do you wanna get married  
  
Or run away~  
  
The End  
  
Eli: *Sob* it's over. How was it? Slide by The Goo Goo Dolls. It just fit so perfectly, it could end no other way. How was it? Review please. Love you all! See ya! 


End file.
